Right By Your Side
by Alabaster Ink
Summary: REWRITING! What if Edmund hadn't betrayed his familly to the White Witch, but was instead captured by her? He is tortured daily, both physically and mentally. When or if he is returned to his family, will the abuse have been too much?
1. Kidnapped

**Well, here it is. Right By Your Side is finally up and ready to read. The reason this is out so late is because first my internet connection broke down. Then when I finish typing it, my dad took away the computer. When I finally got it back, the computer had erased the story. After I typed it again, I when to download it, but it wouldn't work and instead deleted the story again. When I typed it backup and got the downloading fixed, my dad forbid me form going onto Evil right? **

**Plz forgive any grammar or spelling mistakes. I hope everyone is in character. This first chapter may be a bit boring, but trust me, it will get better.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters and if I did then I would be happy and jumping with glee…or dead. **

**This chapter may be a bit suckish, but trust me IT WILL GET BETTER! A lot of Edmund angst soon. I may even hurt the others physically a bit. This will become more dramatic and sad, so plz hang in there.**

_**Italics- Thinking**_

"**Talking"**

**HOPE YOU ENJOY!

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**Chapter 1: Kidnapped**

"Just leave your coats over by the hearth dearies." Mrs. Beaver said to the four children as she went over to start fixing up a suitable dinner.

"You have a lovely home." Susan complimented as she went over to help the she beaver.

"Oh, why thank you dear." She put the teabags in the pot and hurried over to the fish. Lucy, having adjusted to her surroundings, came over and sat down next to her sister; seemingly in thought.

"Susan?" Susan turned and looked at her younger sister in a response.

"Yes?"

"Do you think Edmund is acting strangely?" The older girl shifted her view to her little brother.

"You mean stranger than usual?"

"Yes."

"Well, he does seem a little quieter," Susan turned to he sister and caught her worried glance. "But I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure." It seemed to cheer Lucy up a bit, but she still seemed worried.

"Don't worry about it Lu, he's probably fine." The younger child attempted a smile and walked away, leaving Susan to ponder her little brother. No matter what she said, Susan had seen Edmund's nervous glances and she was starting to doubt her own soothing words.

A fidget here and there was one thing, but Edmund seemed scared, like he had seen a ghost…or the pale witch that haunted his nights.

**Edmund's P.O.V.**

That sound; I can't get it out of my head. I know it seems foolish, but the voice was colder than the snow on the ground.

_One hour earlier_

"You don't want to be caught out her after nightfall." It was odd hearing a beaver talk. I mean, it's not everyday an animal comes up to you and starts talking like a human. But then again, it's not everyday you find yourself in a magical land inside a wardrobe.

However, it did feel nice to be able to enjoy nature without having to worry about air-raids. Not that I'm a naturalist, it's just that after a while, a person starts to miss the feeling of safety. Home isn't safe, outside isn't safe, and school…well, let's just say that I would rather face Adolph Hitler and his Nazis than go back to the bullies (A/N: Hitler shall forever burn in the fiery pits of Hell yay).

We were passing a large rock bridge when it happened. Peter, Susan, Lucy, and the beaver didn't seem to notice the unnatural wave in the bushes, but I did. Every step I took felt like someone was watching me and I kept hearing horrible words like "kill" and "death for the humans." My pace slowed until I stopped; the others not noticing.

Then came the voice again, but it was clearer now and I could hear everything.

"Hello Son of Adam. Are you cold? Are you scared?" The voice spoke. "You should be scared. I'm going to come and I'm going to take you far away. And then your pathetic family. You shall die, ALL OF YOU!" The voice laughed a high cruel laugh and vanished.

I was alone now, not that I wasn't happy about it, but I still stood frozen in my spot. The others must have noticed I was gone, for Peter had come back and pulled me along, telling me how I should be a bit more considerate.

_Well, I'm sorry Peter that I'm scared! Sue me!_

_Present time_

Peter is looking at me. I can tell he sees something different about me. What does he see? Please don't tell me I look as scared as I feel. Oh great, now they're all staring at me.

"What?"

"Are you okay Ed?" Peter turns to me concerned. _Wow, he's concerned. I must look bad to get even him concerned._

"Ed?"

"WHAT?" He looks taken back, but then settles to his patient-angry face.

"I was going to ask you if you were okay, but you seem fine." He turns away and goes over to the table with the others.

_I'm not fine Peter… I'm scared._ Not that I would ever admit it. He wouldn't care anyway; he never cares. All he cares about is Susan, Lucy, Mum, Dad, and his stupid perfect image.

But…he used to care. Didn't he?

**Normal P.O.V. **

"Aslan is on the move." There was a moment of silence.

Edmund got up, a confused expression on his face, and said, "Who's Aslan?"

"Who's Aslan? You've never heard of Aslan?"

"Well, we haven't exactly been here very long." Peter's voice sound like he was stating the most obvious thing in the world(s), which, in a way, he was.

"You've got to be bloomin' jokin'!" He turned to his wife. "They don't even know about the prophecy!"

"Well, than…" She beckoned for her husband to tell them.

"Look…" Edmund had tuned them all out and instead turned to look out the window. There wasn't much to look at; just white, white, and more white. How thrilling.

"EDMUND!" He turned around to see Susan's annoyed look. "Pay attention! This is important!" She turned back around and apologized for him. Edmund just glared and looked back out the window.

**Edmund's P.O.V **

Stupid Susan. Stupid Peter. Stupid Lucy. They all think they're so good. I'm always the bad one; the black sheep.

It's always, 'Edmund, you idiot!' or 'Edmund, apologize now!'

I wish they would all die; then I'd finally be free of them for good. That would be great! Wouldn't it?

"EDMUND!" Now what did I do? Offend them by thinking.

"What?"

"Did you just hear a word we said?" So sorry Susan, I didn't mean to think of something more interesting. Did I offend you? Good.

"Yes." Okay, so I lied. What else is new?

"Oh really?" And of course they don't believe me.

"Yes, really. If I hadn't I wouldn't have said yes, would I?"

"Alright, then…" But she was cut off. Usually I would be happy about that, but I don't particularly think that the howling of wolves is a good sign.

"AHH, the secret police!" Definitely, not a good sign. But if they're called the SECRET police, how does everyone know about them?

"The secret police?"

"Yes; led by Maugrim."

"Isn't he the one who took away Mr. Tumnus?"

"Yes."

"Umm…not to interrupt, but shouldn't we get going." They all looked me. "What? Shouldn't we?" Still looking. Idiots; I don't think anyone wants to die tonight.

"Ed…" Peter looked like he was trying to gather his words. "That is most likely the most intelligent thing you have said all day." _Gee, thanks. I feel so wanted. NOT!_

"Just one question. How do we escape without being noticed?" Just like Susan, always has to be logical.

Mr. Beaver smiled and waddled over towards a little cabinet made of wood. He opened it and beckoned for us all to enter. It turns out to be a secret door, which now isn't so secret. Just as I see Peter enter, the walls if the little house burst open and wolves with sharp needle teeth enter.

We all start running and somehow I end up at the end of the line, which isn't good seeing as the wolves have entered the tunnel. _Just my luck._

Well someone must REALLY hate me, because now the baby has tripped and I'm the only one behind her. For some odd reason I pick her up and carry her towards the rest of our little party at the exit. Don't I want her to die?

It's now official; someone truly hates because now the wolves have caught up with us. _Great. Just great._

"Edmund! Hurry up!" _Hey, that's a great idea Su! And you know what, I would really like to, but the wolves seem to have me surrounded. Isn't that wonderful! Uhh… let's think, NO!_

**Normal P.O.V**

The wolves had surrounded the two siblings into a corner. Peter, Susan, and their new friends had been blocked out so they had no way of getting to their younger siblings.

Lucy was clutching tightly to Edmund who, surprisingly, was clutching back. The wolves were baring their long fangs and saliva slid from their mouths as the slowly advanced towards the two youngest children.

Tears were forming in Lucy's eyes as her heart started beating faster and faster. Then, for the first time in years, Edmund did something without hate and without malice. Putting his mouth to Lucy's ear he whispered the few words that would seal his future.

"When I say run, I want you to run as fast as you can towards the others and whatever happens, whatever you hear, do not look back." Edmund paused and without even realizing it, the old Edmund, the one from before the war and before the boarding school, came out of his prison. Then he whispered one last thing, "No matter what I did or said to you I will always love you." He set her down slowly, looked around for a gap, and found one. After making sure Lucy saw it too, he said it.

"RUN!" She bolted. Dashing through the gap she clamored up the exit and out into the snow where her family and friends waited. Well, most of her family; her very worried family.

The last thing she heard were many howls and barks. Then it came; Edmund's agonizing scream. And then they heard no more.

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**So what do you think? I know this first chapter is a bit fast and sort of sucks, but like I said before, it will get better. The next chapter will hopefully be a bit longer. Please review, but DO NOT FLAME! The next chapter will be out soon.**

**BYE!**


	2. Marked

**Hey! Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! Sry this chapter took so long to get posted but the eighth grade is horrible! With graduation coming up, tests, projects, Spanish (a subject I'm not the best at), and high school acceptance tests. Just a few things I need to point out:**

**The children can't die, unless they are killed IN A REAL WAR OR FOR THE CAUSE OF WAR!**

**The children stay in Narnia and rule FOREVER, whether Edmund lives or dies**

**Lots of tear jerking moments; some just Edmund abuse, some of the other three children thinking of Edmund, or some family moments (I'm a Drama Queen)**

**Lucy's cordial doesn't work on Edmund's wounds except for his final stabbing **

**There will be no more multiple P.O.Vs in chapters. Plz excuse and spelling or grammar mistakes; they are perhaps my weakest points. This is in third-person point of view. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone except the people or things you have never heard off. This is a disclaimer for the rest of the story.**

**Enough of my rambling, ENJOY!**

**Chapter 2: Marked**

Everyone was stark still. No one moved, no one spoke, no one even breathed. The silence was deafening as it rang throughout the forest. All eyes were positioned to that one spot, the spot where they had last seen the young boy. It was empty now of course, but you could tell by the small blood stains and shuffled dirt that something bad had happened. It was Lucy who broke the loud silence.

"Edmund…" A small whisper of the name was all it took to make the youngest child collapse into the snow. "He…he…sa…said…" But no matter how hard she tried Lucy couldn't bring herself to tell the others what Edmund's last words to her were. Tears trickled down her pale face, slowly at first, but then they turned to silent rivers.

"Lucy, what happened?" Peter's voice was stiff as if he was trying to hold back tears, but that of course was impossible. Peter never cries.

"I…I…Edmund…he…saved me…and, OH it's all my fault!" With a sudden gasp Lucy started sobbing, burying her face in her small hands.

Dropping down beside her, Susan gathered the weeping girl into her arms and started rubbing soothing circles up and down her back.

"Shhh, Lucy, shhh, it's alright, shhh, it's not your fault." The older girl whispered in her ear as Lucy's sobs turned into hiccups.

"Yes it is Susan. If I hadn't been there then Edmund could have escaped." Mrs. Beaver waddled over towards the sisters with a sad smile.

"Don't worry dearie, your brother did what he knew was best. He could have escaped and left you there, but he didn't. He risked everything because he loves you, even if he doesn't show it. The best way to repay him is not to blame yourself." Lucy looked up and nodded a slow, small nod, still unconvinced.

The two girls stood up and faced Peter who was still staring at the spot where he had last seen Ed.

"Peter?" The oldest child's head snapped up, his attention turning to Susan. "What should we do?"

There was a long pause and after a deep sigh, Peter came to a decision.

"I don't know Su, I really don't know." As if making the choice of a lifetime, the he-beaver slowly made his way through the snow and over towards the children.

"I can take you to Aslan, Son of Adam, but you must have faith that your brother will be alright."

"But what if he isn't alright? He could be hurt and in pain or…or…dead! We have to go after him!" Peter's face seemed determined like a protector's should, but all that anyone could see was a thirteen year old boy afraid for his little brother.

"NO! Don't you understand? He's the bait! The Witch wants all four of ya!"

"Why?"

"To stop the prophesy; TO KILL YA!" There was a stunned silence as everyone absorbed this information.

"This is all your fault!" Susan looked angrily at Peter, but if one were to look hard they could see that it was only a mask to hide her worry.

"My fault?"

"None of this would have happened if you had just listened to me in the first place!"

"Oh, so you knew this would happen?"

"I didn't know what would happen," Susan looked defeated for a second before becoming defiant once more. "which is why we should have left while we still could!"

"STOP IT!" Everyone turned to Lucy for it was very rare that she yelled like that. Seeing everyone's stares her voice quieted. "This isn't going to help Edmund."

"She's right. Only Aslan can save your brother now." There was another long and uncomfortable pause.

"Then take us to him." Peter's words bore into everyone's mind as Mr. Beaver cautiously moved towards the edge of the thin patch of forest. As soon as he saw that everyone was with him, the he-beaver started to make his way away from the dam and into the wood.

Before following the others into the dense wild, Peter turned one last time to the now destroyed dam and all that he could think about was one thing.

_I'm sorry Edmund, please forgive me._ And with that, he turn towards the woods and began the journey of a lifetime.

Farther away, Edmund was being pulled along by the edge of his socks (and some skin). He was bleeding and in pain and for the first time since the beginning of the war, he felt afraid; afraid for himself and for his siblings, no matter how much he resented them.

The sudden change in temperature jolted Edmund out of thought. It was horribly cold and it reeked with the smell of evil and death. Everywhere he looked there was death, or something very similar. The wolves were pulling him through a frozen courtyard simply filled with stone creatures. Edmund knew they were real; fake animals didn't have the feeling of dread and despair around them.

"Get up human." The head wolf sneered at the helpless child, scratching his face with his razor claws. Edmund cried out in pain, but was push ahead and up the stairs. As the group neared the large crystalline blue doors, Maugrim stopped.

"Wait here." He left followed closely by three wolves, only leaving two with Edmund. Two were enough; Ed was afraid to move.

After what felt like years, Maugrim reentered and shoved the young boy into the room.

It was a spacious room made entirely of ice, with large pillars and a domed ceiling. At the end of the room was a throne occupied by one of the coldest looking women he had ever seen. She was beautiful with her pale face and hair, but her eyes showed fury and a cold evilness that Edmund betted could even frighten Peter.

"Hello, Son of Adam." It was the voice again, the voice as cold as ice. Edmund remained silent which only angered the lady more than she was before. "When someone says hello, you're expect to say hello back."

"Hello." Edmund's voice was flat and unemotional.

"Hello what?" She gritted through her teeth.

"Hello, your Majesty." The Queen smiled a cold, cruel smile.

"Good, at least you know your place. Now get on your knees and bow in respect."

"No." Edmund's response brought about an uncomfortable silence.

"What did you say?"

"I said no, I will not bow to you." The witch lady stood up abruptly and slowly made her way towards Edmund.

"And why, may I ask, is that?" She approached him and stared down at him with her unmerciful eyes.

"Because I don't bow to people I don't respect, and don't respect you. Respect is earned, not granted." There was another silence before a 'slap' sound was heard. Edmund's cheek was now red with blood and a hand print mark.

"Ginnabrik?" A small bearded man stepped through the side doors. In his right hand was a newly sharpened knife that glinted in Edmund's eyes. He approached the throne and bowed. "Take the boy to a large cell, he's going to be here a while." The small man smiled a devilish smile and silently crept towards the child.

Putting the knife to his back, the dwarf steered Edmund up the icy steps and towards the dungeons. Before leaving, Ed heard one more of the Witch's command.

"Maugrim?" The head wolf appeared next to the throne. "You know what to do." Sticking up his head high, Maugrim howled and ear shattering howl and soon the secret police were all assembled and on the move.

With fear in his heart, Edmund was pushed forward and taken down icy corridors to the cells. They passed by stoned men in armor that Ed suspected were once real creatures and each window seemed to tell a story of their defeat. Once below, in the icy caverns, Edmund's feet were shackled together and he was given some stale bread and water-turned-ice.

Ginnabrik turned back around towards the door as Jadis strode into the room. Raising her wand, she slashed it down in an 'X' shape across the child's chest.

"Ahhhh!" Edmund screamed as the cold ice met his flesh. Blood began to flow in rivers down his torso onto the floor, staining the once blue ice red. A cruel smile played itself across the Witch's face.

"You have now been marked as mine." And with that the beginning of a thousand beatings began.

**I know I said it would be longer, but I need this to be fast at first so I can get to the plot. I hope you enjoyed it. Plz review, but DON'T FLAME! In the next chapter you will get to see A LOT of Edmund angst so keep your eyes peeled. **

**By the way, I came up with two knew story ideas so in your review tell me what you think of them:**

**Schooling- Even kings and queens need to go to school. A year after the coronation, the Pevensie children are sent in disguise to a private school in Archenland. Not only do they have to keep up their disguises, but they also have to avoid being killed by the remainder of the Witch's army and some very jealous Calormens.**

**Sunlight- AU. When Edmund was born he was diagnosed with a rare disease that kept him from going out in the sun. All his life he had to deal with the bullying and the taunting of other people. Now, he and his siblings are in Narnia and the Witch's favorite torture is the Sun. Will Edmund survive or die? **

**Of course I wouldn't post these until after this story unless you want.**

**Thanx for reading, BYE! **


	3. Silent Screams

**Hey all! Sry for the wait, but my teachers have been piling on homework and tests to get us ready for the GEPA. I hate tests and homework! Thanx so much for all of your reviews, I love them. This is in third person point of view as will all the chapters unless I tell you all otherwise.**

**ENJOY!

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**Chapter 3: Silent Screams**

Everything was a blur. Edmund didn't know if he had been in the Witch's castle for hours, days, months, or even years, but time was of no concern to him. His body ached, his muscles were sore, his stomach was upset from lack of food and water, and all of his cuts burned like hell's fiery depths. Every hour or day or whatever was the same; no food, no sleep, just pain, pain, and more pain.

Oh how he wished for Peter's strong and loving arms that would rock him back to sleep after a nightmare. Or Susan's gentle words and gestures that soothed him during the air-raids. Even Lucy's sweet innocence and caring nature that always made him feel better, even if he didn't show it. Edmund had never noticed how much they cared.

_No, they don't care. If they cared they would have saved me by now._ Edmund's mind was too tired to contradict that maybe they were trying. For the past however long he had been here, Edmund had been through more torture than a prisoner of war.

Edmund's tired body slumped against the ice cold walls as he remembered the first beating after being 'marked'.

**_Edmund was chained up against the wall, the 'X' shaped gash still bleeding red rivers down his torso. The Witch had just left to go fetch something and Edmund knew that that something was going to hurt._**

**_Ginnabrik was standing off to the side of the cell sneering at the poor child dangling from his own arms. The dwarf stood straight and lean with his small hands placed around the hilt of his dagger. Moments passed in silence until Edmund heard the hard, steady foot movement he already associated with the 'Queen of Narnia.' He was unfamiliar with this 'closet world', but he knew that she was no real queen. _**

**_The door to the cell burst open as the Ice Lady stepped in. Her right hand held her staff of ice and her left held a long bendable metal rod in the form of a whip. Ginnabrik stepped up to his queen and presented her with some salt, matches, and wood that had suddenly appeared at his feet. She sneered at him, but didn't speak. Throwing the logs onto the floor, she continued to set them ablaze until there was a large fire going on in the middle of the room. Taking the rod, she placed it into the fire, only leaving a small part out. _**

**_Edmund watched, transfixed, as the once silver metal slowly turned a bright orange and then a fiery red. Ginnabrik walked over to him and undid the chains that bound him to the wall. Cold hard fear washed over him as the dwarf roughly laid him down on the floor on his stomach. The Witch called for two ogres to pin him down. _**

_**Smiling coldly at him she whispered in his ear, "This is only the beginning." Picking up the rod, Jadis raised it slowly as the redness radiated from it. Edmund's eyes widened as he realized what the Witch was about to do.**_

**_All time slowed down as he watched the Witch slowly bring down the whip until it landed with a sickening crack upon his back. Time returned to normal as white hot pain seared throughout his back and through his body. Edmund tried to keep his screams at bay, but he was unable to keep in a small whimper. She released the searing hot whip upon his now bare back several more times, each one leaving a long gash. On the tenth lash, the false queen picked up the salt and rubbed some onto Edmund's cuts._**

**_The pain was almost unbearable as the salt entered his fresh wounds. It stung like a thousand bee stings and although Ed promised not to cry out, a sob was able to escape, followed by another and then another._**

**_Finally, after two hours of the whip, it stopped. By now Edmund's back was in shreds and blood flowed down onto the ground forming a red pool. Ed's body was numb with pain and his mind was foggy. He didn't even notice one of the ogres pick him up and place him before the fire. _**

**_The Wicked Witch of Narnia took his hand and stuck it into the fire. Edmund's mind screamed out in pain as his hand and lower arm was engulfed in the flames. He could see the fire burn his arm and he wished to God that the pain would stop. But the pain didn't stop it only got worse as the Witch took his left leg and bent it in a way it could not go. Edmund screamed for the first time and it wouldn't be the last._**

**_"Awww is the little prince in pain. Poor, little prince." She smiled a perfectly evil smile and had him chained back up to the wall. Bending down so that she was at eye level with his slumped body, she leaned towards his ear and whispered, "You know Edmund, I'm always going to be here whether you see me or not. You can scream all you want, but no one is going to save you, because nobody cares." And with that said, she picked up her skirts and strode out of the room._**

Edmund could still feel the whip as if it were lashing against him right now. He knew that he would never forget the pain as long as he lived, which may not be as long as he had hoped.

Ever since the first beating, Edmund had been thrown against walls, gagged, and hung by his ankles from the ceiling. By now his lungs were very weak and it was getting hard for him to breathe correctly.

Before Ed's list of pain could continue, a younger dwarf than Ginnabrik stepped into the room holding a glass filled with a dark purple liquid. Edmund didn't know what the drink was and to say the least, he really didn't want to find out. The Witch stepped into the cell behind the dwarf and kicked him to move faster.

"Move it, slave!" Edmund winced at the word 'slave' for he believed that slavery was a horrible thing; everyone is equal.

"Hello Edmund. Why aren't you bowing?" But the boy didn't utter a sound. "ANSWER ME!" Still, he did not speak. "Talk, you wrenched pile of filth!" Edmund felt the tip of her shoe collide with his stomach, but he still didn't speak.

"I am the queen and you shall obey and serve me!" This hit something inside him as he felt a boldness he had never felt before.

"The monarch serves the people; the people do NOT serve the monarch." He paused for a moment to look at her face; it was livid. "And you do not deserve to be a monarch! YOU ARE NO QUEEN!" That did it. She yanked him up by the hair, took out a knife, and slashed him clear across his face.

Edmund cried out in pain as the cold metal sliced through his skin. His vision turned red as the blood entered his left eye and he could taste it's metallic taste as some entered his mouth and stained his teeth red.

"Didn't daddy ever teach you to show respect to your superiors? But wait your father is probably too stupid to know what respect is." Edmund's face turned a deathly white, but then it went red with fury.

With narrowed eyes, Edmund looked up at the beastly woman. "Don't you ever talk about my father like that! He is a great man and he is more respected and respectful than you could or would be! These people do not show you respect, they show you fear!" Breathing deeply, Edmund continued to glare at the horrible woman above him.

Her eyes were narrowed and she was shaking in contained fury. "Don't you ever talk to me like that or I swear, you will not live to see the sun rise." She grabbed the drink from the dwarf and forced it down Edmund's throat.

After making sure he swallowed, the false queen strutted out of the dungeon dragging the dwarf behind her. As soon as she was gone, Edmund slumped against the wall and fell into a deep sleep…

_The room was dark and cold. Edmund stood in the center surrounded by blackness; his worst fear. He didn't know where he was or how he got there and truth be told, he didn't want to find out. All he wanted right now was Peter's arms to wrap around him and tell him that everything will be alright. But Peter wasn't there, Peter hadn't been there when Ed needed him the most._

_Where was Peter when the bullies beat him up every day after class? Playing with Lucy and Susan. Where was Peter the night dad left to go fight? In the girls' room, telling them a story to keep their minds off dad. Where was Peter the night he got lost during an air-raid? At home in the bomb shelter. And where was Peter when he was scared? Anywhere Ed wasn't. _

_Peter was never there anymore. Neither was Susan, Lucy, Mum, and…and Dad. They had all left him. Maybe it was better if he let the Witch kill him. But no, he wouldn't let the Witch have that pleasure. His family may have left him, but the real Edmund still loved them, even if the fake one tried to deny it. And here the real one was taking control. _

_"Edmund…" The boy's eyes snapped open. He knew that voice, it was…_

_"LUCY?" He searched frantically for his little sister, but she was nowhere to be found._

_"Edmund, why did you abandon me?" Then he saw her through the darkness, standing there covered in blood._

_"I…I didn't!" She frowned in sadness._

_"Yes you did Ed, you left me to the wolves."_

_"NO! I…I wouldn't let them take you!"_

_"But you did Ed, you did." Before he could reply, she melted into the blackness; some of her blood splashing onto Edmund. He tried to scream, but it was silent._

_"Edmund, what have you done?" Ed turned and found himself face to face with Susan who was holding a thorny white rose._

_"I haven't done anything!" Tears were threatening to fall as Susan looked at him in pity._

_"Yes you have Ed. You let your own selfishness take control."_

_"NO!"_

_"Yes and now you must pay the price."_

_"But I didn't!"_

_"Yes Ed, you did." And with that the thorns from her rose cut into her skin and soon her hands were covered in blood. Then she too melted into the darkness, her blood splashing onto Edmund as well. Once again, he tried to scream, but no sound came._

_"Look at what you've done." Ed swiveled to the right and saw Peter standing there with large gashes, seeping blood, running down his face and torso. _

_"But I didn't!" The tears that he tried to keep at bay now coursed down his face._

_"Yes Ed, look at what happened to me."_

_"I didn't do that!"_

_"Yes you did Edmund. You let all your greed take hold of you. Why did you betray us to the White Witch for sweets?"_

_"I didn't! I had never met her before!"_

_"Yes you did. You left the beaver's house and went to Her."_

_"NO! NO I WOULDN'T!" But Peter was already disappearing, his blood joining Susan and Lucy's on Edmund's body. Edmund's scream once again silent._

_"Why Edmund?" It was his mother, staring at him with sad bloody eyes. "Why have you abandoned us?"_

_"I haven't!" _

_"Yes you did Ed. We gave you everything, why did you betray your own family?"_

_"I didn't! I wouldn't!_

_"Then why are we all dead?" She was disappearing now, her blood spraying onto Edmund and mixing with the others. Once again Edmund tried to scream, and once again there was no sound._

_"I told you to look out for your family. Why didn't you?" Edmund went pale as he turned to face his father._

_Colin Pevensie stood there in his military uniform, but no longer was it clean and whole. Now it was dirty and torn, and blood oozed from the bullet wounds in his head, legs, and stomach._

_"You abandoned us all. I told you to be brave and strong. I told you to use that wise mind of yours. Why didn't you listen?" Tears were now flowing in rivers down Edmund's cheeks._

_"I did listen! I DID!"_

_"No my son, you didn't. And now we all must suffer." Now he too was disappearing._

_"DAD, WAIT! I'M SORRY DAD, PLEASE FORGIVE ME!" Edmund sunk to his knees._

_"What you have done can never be forgiven." And then he was gone. His blood mixed with the others and soon Edmund's whole body was bleeding. Then the darkness turned red and turned into blood._

_Edmund ran as fast as he could, but slipped and started sinking. He was drowning now and his arms were flailing around, but it was no use. For the last time, Edmund opened his mouth, but all that came out was a silent scream._

Edmund awoke with a scream dying on his lips. He searched around frantically for his family, but he only saw ice; the Witch's dungeon. Edmund stopped search for he knew it was fruitless. Slumping against the wall, Edmund let his chest drop and slowly started to cry. He missed his family.

His crying didn't cease until he was sent into a restless sleep;a sleep filled with silent screams.

**

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So, what did you think? Plz tell me. This turned out to be less angsty than I had hoped, but I will add more later. Plz review, but DON'T FLAME! I hope to have the next chapter up by next weekend so bear with me. BYE!**

**I GOT INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT I WANTED!**


	4. I Hope You're Right

**SORRY! I AM SO SORRY THIS IS SO LATE! But I was grounded from the computer, so don't be too mad at me. Thanks to all my reviewers, you are all so wonderful! I have decided to give you all a _small_ break from Edmund torture in this chapter. There will still be some, but not as much as in the last chapter. Some of my reviewers pointed this out to me and I thank them, so just so that we are all clear, the Witch put a spell on Ed that would keep him alive through all of the torture. **

**Also, I'm changing the river crossing scene a bit. No White Witch/Santa chase. They'll meet Father Christmas another way. Oh, and to those who are wondering, Mr. Tumnus will come into the story in this chapter (as in more than just being mentioned). And Lucy did meet him before, as did Edmund, but that isn't really that important. Sry if the quotes aren't the same, but I have to wait till Easter to get the DVD.**

**Disclaimer: Look in the last chapter.**

**Now on with the story!

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**Chapter 4: I Hope You're Right**

Everyone was silent as they reached the rock bridge. If they looked hard enough, they could almost see the Stone Table across the river.

"It's so far." Peter murmured, not really meaning for anyone else to hear. Mrs. Beaver turned her head.

"It's the world dear. Did you expect it to be small?" She chuckled a bit. Susan turned her head to Peter and gave him "the look".

"Smaller." "The look" was the nickname the children had given to the way Susan looked at them whenever they had done something she disliked. Edmund got it a lot.

"So…how do we get down from here?" Peter askedslowly to distract Susan.

"We climb." Now, Susan paled at Mr. Beaver's comment.

"Climb? In the dead of winter? Not to mention the fact that Lucy and I are in skirts!"

"Susan stop being such a wet blanket, think of it as an adventure." Lucy spoke with pure excitement.

"Don't worry about it Lu, she's just being old Sourpuss Susan again." Lucy giggled at her brother's comment and her sister's red face. Susan really looked like a tomato.

"Ohhh, hush up!"

"Tisk tisk Susan, what would mother say?" Peter commented and, if possible, Susan's face got redder.

"Oh will you stop it? You're starting to sound like Edmund on a good day." Susan turned around and folded her arms. The other two laughed.

"Yeah, we are starting to sound like Ed." Lucy smiled shortly, but it was soon turned into a frown. Thinking of her older brother hurt too much and by the looks of it, Peter and Susan also couldn't bear to think of the little brother that had so easily been snatched away. A moment of uncomfortable silence passed through them until Susan used her quick thinking to break it, if only temporarily.

"We…we should get going." She turned around to face the beavers and began walking.

"Yeah." Peter took Lucy's hand in his and slowly pulled her way towards the rest of the group.

* * *

"Peter?" At the sound of his name, the older boy spun around. It had been a few hours since the last time someone had spoken, except for Mr. Beaver constantly telling them to hurry up, so the voice was a little startling to say the least.

Susan stood next her older brother with a solemn look on her face. Peter looked at her in question.

"Yes?"

"Well, it's about Edmund." Peter froze. Susan seemed to be biting her lip. Before saying anything, Peter made sure that Lucy was out of hearing range. She was, for the young girl was walking up ahead by the beavers.

"What about him?"

"Do you…do you think he's alright?" She seemed so nervous to Peter that it made him nervous too.

"Of course he is. This is Edmund we're talking about." Peter's face was impassive as he spoke. Susan gave and exasperated sigh.

"Peter! Will you stop trying to act like you don't care? He's our little brother! He's YOUR little brother!" She was getting angry.

"I know Susan, but he's changed! He hardly ever acts like the little brother we had before the boarding school."

"So that's a reason for you not to care! Just because he acts different doesn't mean that the Edmund we knew isn't there somewhere!"

"I do care Susan!"

"Then why don't you act like it?"

"Because…because…" He sighed and hung his head. "I don't know."

"Exactly. Peter, we're all partially to blame."

"What?" Peter had no idea where she was going with this for Susan had a tendency to change the subject very quickly.

"We are all partially to blame for why he acts the way he does."

"How?"

"Well, Lucy I'm not completely sure of what she's done, but I do know that while we've been trying to keep her completely safe we have forgotten about Edmund. Whenever he needs us we're never there. And whenever he needs us to comfort him, we always push him away. Remember when he was walking home from the chemist and the bullies from his old school started beating him up making him late?" Susan paused for a moment to make sure that her older brother remembered. At his nod she continued. "Well, remember when he got home, we both started yelling at him for making mum worry? We hardly even noticed he was hurt." Tears were starting to form in her eyes as guilt came crashing down on the both of them.

"We really haven't paid him any heed, have we?"

Susan shook her head in sadness. "No, we haven't. And maybe if we had then he would be here with us."

"Don't worry Su, we'll get him back."

"But what if we don't Peter, what if we don't?"

"We will Susan, we will."

She shook her again. "Oh, I feel just awful. Do you know what the last thing I said was? I said to 'hurry up' even when I knew the wolves had him surrounded." Her tears were flowing down her face.

"It's alright Su, it's alright."

"But Peter, we've been so horrible to him, how can we ever expect him to forgive us?"

"I don't know, but don't worry about it Su, everything is going to be all right."

"But what if it isn't, what if it isn't?"

"It will be I know it will."

"But how can you know?"

"Because I know my little brother and I know that he would never give up." Peter gave a small smile and even Susan managed a small turn of the mouth.

"I hope you're right. I really hope you're right."

"Hope he's right about what?" Lucy turned up next to them.

"Oh…um…about how long…it is across the river." Susan lied. From the looks of it Lucy didn't believe her.

"Riiiiiiiight."

"Hurry up humans!"

"If he tells us to hurry up one more time I'm gonna turn him into a big fluffy hat." Peter hoisted Lucy onto his back so she wouldn't have to walk.

"He is getting a little bossy." Lucy said with a hint of annoyance.

"Come on, we don't have all day!" Mr. Beaver's voice floated over to them.

"Peter, can I have the hat you make out of him?"

"Sure."

A little while later the group had made it across the river and on to solid land. Deciding to rest, they all collapsed onto the ground.

"Susan, if I EVER decide to take up hockey, remind me of how much I hate ice." Peter panted out.

"Sure."

A moment later, Lucy sat up from where she had been resting and turned to face the ice.

"Did you hear that?" She asked.

"Hear what?" Peter turned to her in question.

"I thought I heard sleigh bells." Susan gave the younger girl a queer look.

"Sleigh bells?"

"Yes." The others listened closely until they too her the bells and the sound off hoof beats.

Mr. Beaver swiveled around in fear. "Everyone hide, it's her!"

Everyone made a mad dash for the large boulder and clamored under it. They heard the sleigh stop and the sound of feet, before all went silent.

"I suppose I should go see if she's gone." Peter said, but Mr. Beaver didn't seem to agree.

"No! You're worth nothing to Narnia dead." He made his way towards the exit when Mrs. Beaver took hold of his paw.

"Well, neither are you, Beaver." He turned to look at his wife.

"Thanks sweetlove." And with that he left. There were a few moments of silence, before his face appeared with a large grin.

"I hope you've all been good, because their is someone here to see ya!" They slowly made their way out, to find Father Christmas standing there with a large grin on his face.

"Merry Christmas sir." Lucy walked forward while her siblings stayed behind.

"It certainly is Lucy, now that you have arrived."

"Look, I've been through a lot, but this-" Susan started.

"We thought you were the Witch." Peter cut off his sister.

"Yes, well, in my defense, I have been riding one of these far longer than the Witch." He turned towards his sleigh and drew out his bag.

Lucy beamed. "Presents!"

Father Christmas bent down and handed her a bottle. "The juice of the fire-flower. With it you can cure almost any injury." He put his hand back into the bag and pulled out what appeared to be a dagger. "And though I hope you never have to use it."

"Thank you, sir." Lucy said as she gazed in awe at her gifts.

"Susan." He called her over and she walked towards him slowly. He drew out a set of a bow and arrows. "Now, if you believe in these, they will not miss their shot." He handed them to her and pulled out a beautiful horn. "Blow on this, and wherever you are, help will come."

Susan nodded and quietly drew back.

"Peter." The boy stepped forward and Father Christmas stepped forward and handed him a shield and sword.

"The time to use these is now at hand."

"Thank you sir."

"Now remember, these are tools, not toys."

Lucy stepped forward before he could leave and looked up at him with her cute little eyes.

"Sir, do you have any gifts for Edmund?" She asked quietly. The man smiled at her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Do not worry Lucy; your brother will receive his gifts when the time is right. And trust me when I say this, your brother is going to do something remarkable very soon. But I will tell you one thing. One of your brother's gifts will not be a material possession, but something he must discover within himself." He took his hand off her shoulder and looked around.

"Well, I best be off. Winter is almost over and things do start to pile up when you've been gone a hundred years." He loaded his sleigh and got in. "Lone live Aslan! And Merry Christmas!" And with that, he was off. The children and beavers cried "Merry Christmas" back to him until he disappeared.

Lucy turned to her sister with a grin on her face. "Told you he was real."

Peter seemed to be off in a dream world of thought for a moment, before he got a look of realization on his face.

"He said winter was almost over. You know what that means?" They shook their heads. "No more ice."

* * *

Edmund leaned up against the ice in his new cell in exhaustion. His entire body ached from the Witch's visit earlier and moving even the slightest bit hurt. All he wanted to do was lay down on the floor and die, but that stupid potion _she_ gave him not only gave him constant nightmares, but made sure he lived through and was awake throughout the torture.

In his mind, Edmund reencountered the day's torture.

_**The Witch strutted into the room, her high healed shoes making an awful clicking sound. Edmund was sitting on the ground, the food left by one of the dwarfs still left untouched.**_

_**"Hello again, Edmund." Her voice was sickeningly sweet today, like Turkish Delight. Never again would he be able to enjoy that sweet. Not after what she had done when she found out his favorite candy. She had made an entire tin of it and stuffed it in his mouth. Turns out, she had poisoned it first.**_

**_He came out of the reverie just in time to feel the tip of her shoe to collide onto his face. He screamed; his face still not healed from the dagger wound. _**

_**The Witch grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air making it extremely hard for him to breathe. She then took out her dagger and slashed him across the legs five times each. When she had finished, Jadis took his fingers and bent them back, breaking them. Edmund screamed in pain as his body started convulsing. **_

_**Jadis smirked in pleasure at the child's pain. She seemed to be getting a real thrill out of it. But still, her thirst for pain wasn't satisfied.**_

_**Taking the club from the ogre, she raised it above her head and made it come crashing down onto his head, making it bleed.**_

**_Edmund felt as if his head had exploded, he couldn't even scream it hurt so much. So much when the Witch stabbed her knife through his side, he didn't utter a sound. And when she left the room, he remained in shock on the floor, just wishing he could die._**

That was two hours ago, and Edmund expected the Witch to be back soon. He picked up the bread from earlier and bit into it. It tasted like rotten eggs and mold. He gagged and tried to take a sip of the water, but it was frozen.

"If you're not going to eat that…" The rest of the sentence was left hanging as the face of a man, but the legs of a goat appeared. Edmund recognized him instantly.

"Mr. Tumnus?" Edmund asked quietly as he lifted the tray off the ground and handed it to the faun.

"Yes. You're Lucy Pevensie's brother. Edmund, right?" The faun looked at him.

"Yes. We met once before."

"I remember you. Very quiet and nervous." A small laugh emitted from Ed's lips as he though about it.

"What are you doing here?" Mr. Tumnus asked him. Edmund turned pale and slowly looked at the faun.

"The wolves got me. The rest got away." He said quietly. The faun nodded, realizing this was a touchy subject.

"Do not worry Edmund, they will find you."

"Yeah, if they want me. But they never have before, so why should it matter?" Edmund turned his face away from the faun to stare at the floor.

"Dear boy, even though I have never met your older siblings, I know that they love you and that Lucy loves you. You matter a lot to them, I know it. Don't give up on them. They will find you." The faun said with a speck of hope in his eyes. Edmund looked at him and then towards the door where the sound of heels drew closer.

"I hope you're right." And with that said, the White Witch entered the room, and evil and malicious glint in her icy eyes. _I really hope you're right.

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**So, what did you think? Plz review, but don't flame. If you have any ideas plz let me know! I hope to get the next chapter out by Easter, but no promises. Thanx to all my reviewers and all those people who have helped me with torture ideas. You know who you are! Thanks for reading! BYE!**

**Note to Shauna- How do you send though a document file? When I figure that out I can do something with BETA-ing.**


	5. Flesh

**Hey! A huge thanx to all of my reviewers! YOU ALL ROCK! I hope you enjoy the chapter. This takes place about a week after the first chapter. Yeah, I know that's not how long it was in the book or movie, but I needed a longer period of time. By now Edmund is very weak and VERY bloody, so keep that in your mind. He doesn't just have a few scrapes like in the movie, he is basically a shredded piece of human flesh. Plz excuse any grammar or spelling mistakes. If you find any Americanisms, tell me.**

**Also, the waterfall scene is going to be a bit different, like they say different things, so just a heads up.**

**Disclaimer: chapter 3**

**Warning: A LOT of Ed angst! Get tissues! But I plan to have him rescued in the next chapter! So don't worry!**

**ENJOY!

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**Chapter 5: Flesh**

Edmund looked up at the Witch in horror as he saw the knife in her hands. The little light in the room bounced of it and made a reflection of it in Witch's eyes. If possible, it made her seem even more heartless.

Mister Tumnus had backed up into his cell as she scanned the room, afraid of what she would do if she took an interest in him. He too had noticed the long knife and he knew that he was just a vulnerable to it as Edmund. But, at the moment, Jadis only had her eyes on the boy.

"Well, you seem very quick to recover. We'll have to fix that won't we?" Her smirk widened as dreadful thoughts raced through her mind. Clutching the knife harder in her hand, she advanced towards the ten year old.

Edmund's fear tripled as she approached. He would have tried moving, but he was chained to the wall and even if he wasn't, his broken leg and weak body wouldn't take him very far.

The false queen raised the knife to his stomach and slashed him, making a long gash appear and start pouring blood. Edmund screamed out in pain, but there was little he could do.

Jadis did this one more time in the opposite direction, making and identical 'X' mark to the one on his chest. She then took it once more and slit the child's throat; not enough to kill him or to damage his voice to the point of being permanently mute, but enough to cause him extreme pain and temporary voice loss. Edmund's silent screams were suddenly a reality.

Mr. Tumnus seemed to have discovered some courage during this. He dragged his tired body over to Edmund's cell and looked at the queen.

"Your Majesty, he is but a boy. What purpose does he serve you?" Tumnus stuttered out. He flinched as the Witch swiveled around and put the edge of the blade to his face.

"You should do well not to question me, faun!" She exclaimed in fury, temporarily forgetting about the bleeding child.

"I would never question you, Majesty." He said clearly, his head down in a bow, but his body shook in fear.

The Witch glared. Raising her foot, she kicked him square in the face; much like what she had done to Edmund earlier. He blanched backwards and stumbled, tripping over his hooves.

"Don't you dare mock me!" She screamed at the poor creature as he moved away. Jadis smirked and motioned for and ogre. "Do you know why you're hear faun?"

"Because I believe in a free Narnia." Tumnus was able to stumble out. The Witch, however, sneered.

"You're here because you aided the enemy; you helped a human child. And not only did you not turn her in, but you saw her again and you met her brother; him." She pointed at Edmund who pressed himself against the wall. Motioning to the ogre, the Witch took her staff from Ginnabrik and stared at Tumnus.

"Release the faun and take him upstairs. Ginnabrik release the boy and ready my sleigh. I will be along in a moment." The two slaves set to their tasks of releasing the prisoners. The ogres took the faun and dragged him away, while the dwarf let Edmund fall as he went onto his second task.

Once the room was clear of everyone except the Witch and the boy, Jadis took the child and threw him against the wall. She smiled at the sound of bones cracking and the loud moan that escaped Ed's lips. Picking him up once more, she slapped him clear across the face and dropped him onto the icy floor.

The Witch, grabbing a whip from the wall, kicked the child onto his stomach and started bringing the icy leather whip down upon his already shredded back. Edmund, being able to make some sounds, let out loud moans and soft cries as the whip cut into his flesh. He would have asked her to stop, but his throat hurt too much.

_Oh, please let it end! Just let it end!_ Edmund's mind begged. He just wanted the pain to stop. He wanted his brother and sisters to make it go away, but they weren't here, they never were.

The pain seemed to go on forever until, suddenly, it stopped.

"I grow bored of this. Get up!" She yelled. Edmund stood with great difficulty, his broken leg crying in protest and his body feeling like it could erupt.

"You know Edmund, soon your family will be mine as well, but until then, I shall just have to have fun on you." She laughed at the horror on his face. "Let us go say good-bye to your friend the faun." She yanked him by what was left of his shirt collar out the cell door. Dragging through corridors and up stairs, they finally came to a courtyard where Mister Tumnus stood held bye two ogres.

"Hello again." She said, icy creeping into her voice. Jadis motioned for the two ogres to step away and pointed her staff at the faun. "This will teach you to never cross me again." A beam of blue-green light erupted from the staff and flew towards its victim. The faun tried to get away, but it was too late. In an instant, he was stone.

Edmund stood in his spot, his leg still searing with pain, and looked in shock at his friend. What had once been a living thing was now a lifeless, stone statue. He could hardly believe it.

"Bring the boy to my sleigh and open the gates. I'm going on a little trip." The Witch strutted off, leaving Edmund to be roughly grabbed by the ogres and pushed onto her sleigh.

Ginnabrik got into his seat and forced the reindeer to move. They sped out of the castle gates and along the icy river . The Witch sat straight in her seat and looked ahead, gazing briefly down at her prisoner. Sneering at him, she turned her attention back woods in front of her.

Edmund glared up at her, desperately wishing she would fall off the sleigh and INTO the ice. He vaguely noticed that his blood was leaving a small trail along the ice and the brim of the sleigh.

They reached the woods sooner than expected only to find the Witch's wolves sniffing a large boulder.

The leader, Maugrim, Edmund believed, came up to them and bowed before Jadis.

"My Queen, we have caught a scent of the other children and we believe they are heading towards the Stone Table." The White Witch nodded at this knowledge and grabbed Edmund.

"Where is Aslan's army?" She seethed. Edmund's eyes widened in fear as he caught sight of her staff.

"I…I don't know." He stammered out, unable to keep his fear at bay.

"You don't know?" She asked, her voice once more in a sickeningly sweet tone. "YOU DON'T KNOW!" Her voice rose, slapping him across the face once more.

I…I didn't listen to the conversation." His voice was soft and scared as the Witch pressed her wand against the boy's face.

"Well, we'll just have to improve your listening skills now won't we?" She grinned, her teeth flashing. Throwing him to the ground, she ordered on of the wolfs to start scratching him up. The wolf's razor sharp claws raked against the child's face and body, shredding it.

Edmund tried to scream, but the claws just got in his mouth, ripping it up like the rest of his body. When at last it stopped, Ginnabrik yanked him to his feet and threw him onto the sleigh. The Witch climbed on and they were off.

* * *

Peter looked nervously down at the frozen waterfall in apprehension. By the looks of it, it seemed to be having a hard time not collapsing and he did NOT want to take his little sisters anywhere they could be put in danger. But then again, this whole adventure put them in danger.

It appeared Susan had the same thoughts. "Peter, I don't like this."

He looked at her incredulously. "And you think I do?"

"Well, you seem to like adventure." She said smartly, a bit of a scolding tone threading its way into her words.

"Yes, I like adventure, but I don't like putting my siblings into trouble."

"Well, it's a little late for that." She realized her mistake too late' Peter had heard her and understood. "Peter…I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."

"Yes you did." He turned around and started downwards with Lucy and the beavers in tow.

"Peter!"

"What?" He let the beavers and Lucy go ahead. Turning around, he saw that Susan had tears in her eyes.

"I didn't mean it like that." She choked out. " We're all to blame for what happened to Ed, but I…I don't know what I meant." Peter came up to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder to show that he understood.

"Hey, it's okay Suzy. I get it." And he did get it. The words still stung, but he understood. "Now, we can't have you breaking down here okay. We'll get Ed back, I promise." She nodded her head and put on her brave face.

"Lucy! Don't go on the ice just yet!" Susan yelled to her little sister, who was about to start walking across the ice.

"Why?" She yelled back, her face showed confusion.

Susan gave and exasperated sigh. "We don't know if it's safe yet."

"I'll go check." Mr. Beaver walked onto the river and started patting the ice down.

"You've been sneaking second helpings haven't you?" Mrs. Beaver cried out when she heard the ice crack. Mr. Beaver turned around and looked at her.

"Well, you never know which meal's gonna be your last," He turned away and mumbled under his breath. "Especially with your cooking."

"I heard that!" She yelled back to him before slowly moving onto the ice. The children followed their example and made their way onto the ice as well.

About two minutes passed, before a giant ball of fir landed on Mr. Beaver. Lucy gasped and looked up, he eyes widening.

"PETER!" She screamed to her brother, looking up at the waterfall. At the top were about seven wolves. Peter drew his sword and pointed it at the wolves like a gun.

The wolf leader walked forward and the children stepped back. "Put that down human. You can barely hold it."

"Kill him, kill him now!" Mr. Beaver yelled from where he was pinned to the ice.

"Come on boy. Leave now and your brother leaves with you." Maugrim coaxed, seeing Peter falter.

"Stop Peter! Maybe we should listen to him!" Susan was almost in hysterics. She just wanted her brother.

"No Peter! Narnia needs ya!" Mr. Beaver yelled again, before he was silenced by the wolf holding him down.

Peter looked around, not knowing what to do, until his eyes landed on cracking waterfall. Inspiration struck him as he heard a rather loud crack. Driving his sword into the ice he yelled out to his siblings.

"HOLD ON TO ME!" They grabbed him just as the ice broke and water poured out of the ice, enveloping them all.

They were under the water for a while before the ice floated back up. The air was cold and the children were already freezing enough. Peter grabbed Lucy and pulled her closer. He did feel her slip a bit, but he didn't think much of it.

The ice pulled up by the bank and Susan and Peter climbed off. Susan turned around, her eyes wide with fear as she looked at Lucy's empty coat.

"What have you done!" She shrieked and started looking everywhere for the younger girl. Peter's eyes were wide in disbelief. He had just lost both of his siblings all in the course of one week! His eyes scanned the surrounding land and water, looking for his baby sister.

_Not Lulu too! Why do I keep losing them! I promised Mum I'd take care of them, but can't even do that! I'm probably the worst older brother in history!_

"Has anyone seen my coat?" A small, trembling voice yelled. Peter and Susan swiveled around and sighed in relief at the sight of their sister. Peter held out the coat and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Now don't you worry dearie, your brother's got you all taken care of." Mr. Beaver smiled at the children. He heard his wife gasp and turned to look at the blooming trees and plants.

"But I don't think you'll be needing those coats any longer." Spring had finally arrived!

* * *

The Witch looked in disgust at the raging waterfall and the snowless ground. She could not believe that her winter had been broken. And by an over large cat and some children no less!

Edmund managed a small smirk. _Way to go guys!_ The Witch was at her weakest now, but he also knew that when she was at her weakest she was also at her meanest. Edmund was afraid that the potion keeping him alive would not last long if the Witch decided she wanted him dead.

"It's so warm out." Ginnabrik sighed, slipping off his coat, but at Jadis's glare, he slipped it right back on again. "I'll go check the sleigh." He ran off, leaving Edmund at her mercy.

A deep growl emitted from behind them as Maugrim stepped out with the other wolves and their prisoner.

"Your Majesty, we have discover the traitor. He was rallying _His_ allies by the Shuddering Woods." The Chief of Police said, throwing the fox towards the Witch.

"So, you're the little spy." She walked over to him, throwing Edmund onto the ground and making sure he landed on his broken leg. Edmund let out a small cry of pain and was unable to get up. He moved his head as much as he could to find the fox looking at him.

The fox bowed. "Forgive me, Your Majesty."

Jadis scoffed and looked at the fox in just as much disgust as when she saw the grass. "Oh, don't waste my time with flattery."

The fox looked up at her, then at the fallen child, until he looked back at the Witch.

"Not to be rude, but wasn't actually talking to you." He looked once more over at Edmund and the Witch followed his gaze. Fury leapt itself into her eyes when she realized what he meant.

"HOW DARE YOU!" She pointed her wand at him, ready to strike.

"No! Don't!" Edmund threw himself in front of the creature, ignoring the immense pain in his leg and body. "You can't!" She grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him aside.

"Watch me." And with that, the fox was dead. Edmund could only stare as tears welled up in his eyes.

The Witch turned to him and lifted by up by the neck. "Don't you EVER get in the way again or I swear I will make your death a long and torturous one." She let go and let Edmund drop to the ground. "Now walk."

Edmund staggered to his feet, the pain from his leg coursing throughout his body. The Witch started walking away towards a strip of land that would take them across the river. Ginnabrik came up behind him and forced him to walk after the queen, making sure that the ropes around Edmund's wrists were cutting into his skin.

They walked for two hours and by the end of it Edmund was sure that the bone in his broken leg had disintegrated. The woods where they stopped was probably one of the scariest places, besides the Witch's castle, that he had ever been in.

The general of the Witch's army, came up to them and bowed to Jadis. She motioned for him to take Edmund over to a tree and tied him up.

The minotaur grabbed the child by the hair and dragged him over to the tree. He took a long rope and tied it so tightly that it was hard for Edmund to breathe. Leaving the child with a wolf, the creature went over to his queen and bowed

"Shall we discuss the plans, Majesty?" Jadis smirked and looked over at Edmund.

"I shall be there in a moment, General. I just have one thing to do." The general nodded and left his queen.

Jadis quietly made her way over to the boy and reached down to his eye level. Smirking at the fear she saw on his face, Jadis raised the dagger from earlier and cut off some flesh from his cheek.

Edmund cried out as the dagger dug deep into his flesh and cut it off. Blood oozed from his face and fell onto the Witch's hands and the flesh in her hands.

"Well that's all I need." And with that she walked away, leaving Edmund in the world of unconsciousness.

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**Wow! I think that's the quickest I've ever gotten a chapter up! I hope you liked it. Plz review, but don't flame.**

**Also, in your review plz vote: Should Edmund be unconscious throughout his entire time at Aslan's camp or should he be awake for small periods of time?**

**Also tell me if you want this story to follow through into the time of their rule or end at the coronation? I have some ideas for the Golden Age. Let me know! BYE!**


	6. Ready

**You guys are the best! Here's a hug from Edmund to all of my reviewers hug. Yes, Eddy gets saved in this chapter, but it is not the end of his pain. The Witch will come back. She will. I am going to have Edmund awake for short periods of time until the battle. Edmund will be in the battle, not in the same way as the movie or book, but well, we all know how stubborn Ed is. **

**If you have any questions about the flesh thing in the last chapter, all will be answered many chapters from now DURING THE GOLDEN AGE! Yes, this story will follow through to that period. So if you have any ideas let me know. Plz excuse any grammar, spelling, punctuation, missing words, or words spelled in the wrong form (ex/ their, there, they're).**

**In Susan's dream, which the first part is, sort of envision the beginning of _Peter Pan 2 _when the father is leaving for war.**

**Also, before the coronation were they considered kings and queens or princes and princesses? Oh well, in this story it's princes and princesses first then kings and queens.**

**Disclaimer: ch. 2**

**Well, I'll shut up now. ENJOY!

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**Chapter 6: Ready**

_The crescent moon shone brightly upon a large brick house. A family stood in the doorway, all of them looking depressed. The father was dressed in traveling attire and a pack was slung over his shoulder. The mother had silent tears running down her cheeks while holding the youngest child's hand. The child was holding onto her blanket and looking around, not exactly knowing what was going on._

_Another, older, girl stood on the other side of her mother, crying and clutching the older woman's apron. The boy next to her wasn't crying, but his eyes were red and puffy and his arms were shaking with suppressed sobs. However, the most interesting child was the one off to the side, away from everyone else. Like his siblings he was upset, but instead of standing by his mother crying, he had an angry and dark look on his pale, freckled face. It was as if he was mad at the man for leaving. _

_The man leaned over and kissed the woman on the lips for a brief moment. Bending down to the younger girl's height, he kissed her forehead. Taking a small stuffed dog out of his bag, he handed it to her and smiled at her squeal of excitement. _

_Moving over to the older girl, he took her hands in his and kissed her cheek. _

_"Susan, my little lady, I want you to look after Lucy and Edmund okay? I know you can." The girl, Susan, could only nod as the tears spilt from her eyes. "Don't be sad Suzy. I'll be home before you know it." He smiled at her again, before moving onto the older boy._

_"Peter, you're going to have to be the man of the house until I get back. I trust you to look after everyone. Make sure Edmund stays away from the bullies. He really looks up to you." Peter nodded his head and looked at the younger boy._

_"But how can I keep everyone safe?" He said as he turned his attention back towards his father. The man smiled at him, letting his blue eyes twinkle._

_"Don't worry son, I have faith in you." Peter forced a smile and his father returned it._

_Now it was time for the challenge. Edmund had become rather difficult since the boarding school and he wasn't exactly sure how his younger son was going to react._

_The man knelt down and looked at the child. He could tell that his son was angry, but he wasn't exactly sure how angry. Taking the boy by his shoulders, the man made sure that the child was looking at him._

_"Edmund, I want you to look out for your family, alright?" He waited for an answer, but when his son didn't answer, he continued. "I need you to be brave and strong for your mum. She's going to need you. Just use that wise mind of yours. Can you promise me that?" It was a moment before he got a reply. However, it was not the one he wanted. At first it was just a shake of the head._

_"No. No I will not promise!"_

_"Edmund-" But he was cut off._

_"NO! I HATE YOU!" And with that, the seven year old ran off and into the house._

_"EDMUND!" His mother screamed, but all she got in reply was the slamming of the back door. She sighed and turned back to her husband._

_"You know he doesn't mean that." The man nodded and looked down at his two oldest children._

_"I want you two to look after each other. Make sure Edmund and Lucy don't get hurt."_

_"We will daddy, don't worry." Susan said as she regained her voice. He father looked back at his wife and gave her one last hug._

_"Be safe Colin." He nodded and walked away towards the waiting military truck. Climbing in, he turned one last time to look at his family and was off. _

_The family looked on until the truck was out of sight before heading back into the house. For a moment, nobody knew what to do, but when Lucy yawned her mother decided it was time for bed. _

_"Peter, Susan, I'm going to go take Lucy up to bed. Would you mind getting Edmund?" The children shook their heads and Helen smiled. Picking up Lucy, she stared at the direction of the back door, longingly, before shaking her head and heading for the stairs. Once their mother was gone, the two children took tentative steps towards the kitchen and the back door._

_Peter reached for the knob, but was stopped when Susan's hand grasped his wrist._

_"Peter, wait." The boy looked at her quizzically. _

_"Why?" The younger child seemed nervous to answer, but after a moment finally spoke up._

_"Shouldn't we have some type of plan?" Once again Peter looked confused. Sighing in exasperation, Susan elaborated. "This is Edmund we're talking about. He's not going to be very willing to come in."_

_"Oh, right. I didn't think of that. So what's your plan?" Again, she looked nervous. "You don't have one do you?" She shook her head. "Right. Well, I suppose we'll just have to wing it." He turned back to the knob and opened the door. _

_It was dark out, but the two children could still make out a lone figure sitting on the swing that their dad had made for them two summers ago. They walked quietly over to their little brother, trying hard not to be noticed too soon._

_"Edmund?" The younger boy looked up. In the moonlight, the older siblings could just make out his tear stained face. "Mum says it's time for bed." Susan finished as the little head went back down. When her little brother didn't move from the swing, she put her hand on his shoulder._

_"He'll come back Ed. I know he will." Edmund's head jerked back up and narrowed his eyes._

_"Well I don't want him too! I hope he dies!" Susan and Peter flinched, but kept their faces calm._

_"You don't mean that Ed. I know you don't." Peter said as he crouched down to his brother's level._

_"Yes I do." _

_"No you don't." Peter replied softly. _

_"Come on Ed, let's go up to bed." Susan grasped his hand only to have him yank it back. She sighed and turned towards the house. Peter followed her and, after a few moments, Edmund did as well._

_They headed into the house and moved up to the second floor. Peter followed Susan into her and Lucy's room, leaving Edmund in the hallway. Susan turned her head towards Edmund, who was by now turning slowly towards his room, a sad and longing look on his face. She was about call out to him, but shook her head and turned back to her room where Peter was starting to tell Lucy a story. As she entered the room to see her siblings she couldn't help but feel that something was missing, something important. _

_It was around three in the morning when something happened. Peter and Susan were awakened by the sound of screaming coming from Edmund's room. Lucy was still sleeping when they left the room. _

_They rushed down the hallway, passing their mother and father's room on the way. Opening the door, they found their brother tossing and turning in his sleep, screaming out to figures only he could see._

_"No…no! Leave me alone! Go away!" He screamed, thrashing out. "Stop! Please, just stop! Peter! Susan! Lucy!" He kept repeating their names over and over again. _

_His two older siblings ran to his side, afraid at what was happening. Edmund had had nightmares before, but nothing to this extremity. Peter grabbed his flailing arms and Susan grabbed his legs, trying to calm him down. When it didn't work, Peter grabbed hold of his shoulders and started to shake them. _

_With a sudden lurch, the seven year old sprang up in his bed, gasping for air and searching frantically around the room. Tears spilt from his eyes and rushed down his cheeks. Peter and Susan had gotten over their shock by now and had engulfed him in a hug._

_Peter hoisted the younger boy onto his lap and started to gently rock him back and forth as Susan rubbed his back. Edmund was shaking and crying into his older brother's chest, his arms around his neck. _

_When his crying ceased after about fifteen minutes, Edmund dislodged himself from his sibling's comfort and over towards his desk at the corner of the room. He took out a pencil and a piece of paper and started to draw._

_The older children looked on in curiosity at what their brother was doing. After a nightmare, Edmund would sometimes get up and draw random pictures of the scariest of things. Sometimes it was a scary looking, small man who always held a knife. Or sometimes it was of these half human half bulls wearing armor and holding a large sword. For someone so young, his drawing skills were excellent and he always managed to get in every little detail._

_But his drawings were about to take a horrifying turn. Edmund took a longer time than usual on this drawing; almost a half an hour. Peter looked at it first and anyone who looked at him could tell that he was a bit startled at this new drawing._

_Susan took it from his hand and studied it. It was of a tall woman with long hair and a crown. She wore a cloak made of fur and a long gown that touched the ground. It was a sketched drawing with only two things colored; the eyes and the staff. He had made her eyes an icy blue with a cold and malicious look. It was if her eyes screamed death to anyone who opposed her. The staff in her hand was made of ice and colored the same blue that was in her eyes. It was smooth yet it stuck out in places and it seemed to be pointing to something, but Susan couldn't tell what it was._

_"Edmund, who is this?" She asked after her shock disappeared. Edmund stood rooted in his spot, staring at his sister with his dark, haunting eyes._

_"It's the Witch." He stated. Then it happened._

_Everything slowly started to become a blur. Peter disappeared, the room disappeared, and everything, but Edmund, disappeared. Susan could only stare at him as Edmund grew to the age of ten and everything became a mix of colors._

_Then, Susan heard the crack of a whip and saw her brother collapse to the floor in a heap of blood. All upon his back were thick, disgusting whip marks that seemed to have been burned onto the skin. But they weren't the only things burned. Edmund's entire left arm was burnt as if he had just stuck his hand into the fire._

_When a knife sounded, Susan jumped and looked around to where she could see new blood forming. Edmund's chest and stomach were slashed with identical 'X's. The only difference was that the one on his chest seemed to be outlined in an icy blue color. Then she looked at his legs and found massive gashes on each leg. They didn't even look like legs anymore. The right one looked even worse, as it appeared to be just as broken as all ten of his fingers. _

_Edmund slowly lifted his head to look at Susan. His neck was slashed and she could see the muscle moving as he swallowed. When she saw his face, Susan had to stifle a gasp. His face had a dagger cut and if there was another, it was hidden under the many claw marks and blood. But the worst thing was his right cheek. It was practically gone. The skin had been cut off and if one were to look close enough, they would be able to see some of the cheek bone._

_Susan screamed as Edmund started walking towards her. She bolted from what was once Edmund's room and practically flew down the stairs._

_"Susan…help me. Please!" The child called after the older girl. "It hurts Susan, it hurts." He started down the stairs and followed his sister out the front door._

_"Go away!" She cried as she raced down the streets in the dark. "Why are you following me!"_

_"Please help me Susan. It hurts." He just kept up a steady pace as he walked after the older girl. _

_Suddenly, the air-raid alarm went off around the city. Planes flew over head and dropped bombs on the terrified people of Finchley, but Susan was completely oblivious to it. She just kept running._

_"Susan, please. Please help me." He cried out, but Susan ignored him. "Please Suzy. Save me from the Witch." Susan stopped running and froze. She looked back only to find that he had disappeared. _

_Looking around, she saw that everything had disappeared into a mix of colors. Everything except one plane. It released a bomb and everything, including Susan, was wiped away.

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"**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**" Susan awoke with a start. Lucy jolted out of her bed and flew to her sister's side. She wrapped the older girl in a hug as she trembled.

"Susan, what is it?" The younger princess asked after a few minutes. It looked like she was going to answer, but they were interrupted by the opening of their tent and the sight of Peter.

They had arrived at Aslan's camp earlier that day and now, just when they were able to get some actual sleep, they couldn't.

"What happened?" Peter looked around and came face to teary face with Susan.

"Susan had a nightmare." Lucy summed up.

"About what?" This time Lucy didn't have an answer. She looked at her older sister expecting an answer.

"I saw Edmund." Lucy gasped and Peter looked stunned. He went over and put an arm around her shoulders.

By now, Susan was crying as she spoke. "It started off as the night dad left. You remember that don't you Peter?" He nodded and a sad look passed his face. "Do remember the nightmare he had that night too? How horrible it was? And the drawing he had made after?" Once again, Peter nodded. "I dreamt that. But then, Edmund aged and I heard these terrible noises. When they ended, Edmund would be hurt. By the end, he looked like a shredded piece of human flesh. Then he started chasing after me, asking for help, but I couldn't help him and…" She trailed off as a whole new round of tears sprang into her eyes.

Peter and Lucy leaned over and enveloped her in a hug. They gently rocked her back and forth and soon she was fast asleep. It was quiet for a moment until Lucy's soft voice pierced the room.

"Peter, will Edmund be okay?" Peter looked at her with sad eyes. He laid Susan down on the bed and took Lucy onto his lap.

"I don't know Lu. I hope so." It was all he could say. He knew that Edmund was not going to be okay, yet at the same time he didn't want to lose hope. "But don't worry. Orieus and everyone else are going to save him. I know they are." He picked her up and carried her over to the bed. Laying her down, he kissed her temple and tucked her in. "But for now, just go to sleep, alright?" She nodded and closed her eyes.

Peter looked around for a moment until making up his mind and leaving. He moved a short distance to his tent and promptly fell into his hammock. Closing his eyes, his last conscious thoughts came to mind.

_Please be safe Edmund, please._ And with that, he fell asleep.

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General Orieus raced through trees and bushes as he followed the wolf to the Witch's camp. He didn't know what he and his troops were going to find, but he hoped that rescuing the prince would be quick and as blood free as possible.

They soon reached the camp with large cries and swords raised. Running through the camp, they lost sight of the Witch in the mass of monsters scrambling around, but at the moment she was not the main priority. In a matter of minutes they had reached a tree where they found the boy tied up. A dwarf stood frozen at his side, his knife laid forgotten on the ground.

The rescue party quickly undid the ropes and caught the boy before he could fall. Orieus picked him up wrapped the blanket from his satchel around the hurt child. It truly was a horrible sight; he wouldn't even wish this on the Witch herself.

One of the fauns, Miron, grabbed the dwarf and shoved him against the tree. Tying the rope tightly around him, he smirked and grabbed the knife. "Let's see how you like being held up against a tree." He took the knife and jammed it into the dwarf's hat, making it stick up and fall onto his face. The group that hadn't gotten a good look at the prince laughed and turned around towards the edge of camp.

Orieus moved ahead of everyone else, the Talking Horse Philip, at his side. The rest of the party walked behind them, happy with themselves for rescuing the child. But for Orieus and Philip, there was no rejoicing.

"I've never seen anything like this." Philip said as he looked at the child's shredded face.

"I know Philip. This is true cruelty at work. He is but a foal and should not even have to be exposed to war." Orieus shifted the child in his arms to make him as comfortable as possible.

"Imagine what their Highnesses are going to think when they see him." Orieus closed his eyes at the Horse's words. He could just envision the older boy's face in shock, the first girl with tears in her eyes, and young Lucy with a look of utter horror.

"I'd really rather not. What do you think Healer Mashka will think?"

"I don't know, but I do not what to be there when she looks at his wounds. If this is what is showing, imagine what we have not seen." The centaur shuddered. He saw Philip about to say something else, when the child lurched.

"Peter! Susan! Lucy!" He tossed and turned and moaned as he yelled out the names of those he wanted. Orieus held him tighter to keep him from falling. Turning towards his men, he was able to shout out an order.

"Men, I'm going to go on up ahead! This boy needs immediate treatment!" The creatures of Aslan's army nodded and Orieus and Philip quickly galloped away.

They arrived at camp at sunrise and quickly handed Edmund over to Mashka. She was completely blown away at the boys injuries and hurried him off to the medical tent.

Aslan came up to the two and sat down.

"Orieus, Philip, I want you to awaken the children. I need to talk to them a soon as possible." They nodded and walked off.

Aslan shook his mane and sighed; this was not what he had expected. Looking at the medical tent with sad eyes, the Great Lion stood up and quietly walked onto the hill where he had spoken with Peter the day before. Today was going to be a long day and Aslan had to be ready. It was time that the children were finally told what was happening to Edmund. They had to be ready.

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**Well, what do you think? Plz review, but don't flame. I hope everyone had a great Easter!**

**By the way what do you think would be better; to have a symbolic nightmare the night before the beginning of the war or to have a symbolic nightmare the night of the first air-raid?**

**Let me know in your review or PM! BYE! **


	7. You'll Be Alright

**HI EVERYONE! Sry about the wait, but I've had a lot of homework to do. A huge thanx to all of my awesome reviewers! This story is all for you! I hope you like this chapter! **

**Note: If you haven't read my profile, then I just want to say this. All the angst I have in this story or any other is only used so that I can have all the sappy scenes now and later. It is NOT BECAUSE I ENJOY IT! I want to help people in pain, not cause them pain. Plz excuse any grammar or spelling mistakes. This chapter is probably going to be short, but it's more of a lead through chapter to chapter eight, with A LOT of family love, especially some brother time.**

**Disclaimer: Chapter 2**

**ENJOY!

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**Chapter7: You'll be Alright**

Orieus and Philip made their way over to the two tents nearest the cliff. They froze for a moment, wondering what they were going to say. The children were most likely going to ask questions, but how where they to answer them?

"I suppose were should go awaken them?" Philip turned his head to look at the General.

"Yes. I shall get the Prince, you may get the Princesses." Orieus took a deep breath, silently thanking that he wasn't the one to wake up two girls, and walked forward as the Talking Horse slowly moved towards the girls' tent.

Philip made his way into the tent and stopped. He saw both of the future queens curled up on the bed with peaceful expressions on their faces. They both looked so serene that it broke his heart to wake them up for some of the worst news they could ever receive. Knowing that it was now or never, Philip walked over to Susan and nudged her with his head.

Susan stirred and blinked her eyes. At first everything was blurry, but then they came into place. For a moment, the Horse and princess just stared at each other, before, in a delayed reaction, Susan screamed and jumped out of her bed. Lucy jolted from her sleep and reached for her dagger. Philip blanched backwards and fell, silently cursing himself for startling his future rulers.

A minute or so passed until everyone calmed down. Susan and Lucy stared at the Horse in question and watched as he regained his balance. Lucy, who had been behind her sister, stepped out and touched the horse's forehead.

"Who…who are you?" Her voice quivered slightly, silently hoping that this was a Talking Animal.

"My name is Philip, Your Highnesses." Lucy breathed a sigh of relief that this was an intelligent animal. "I come with a message that you are to meet Aslan at the cliff. He has news of your other brother." The two girls gasped and looked at one another.

"Our brother? You mean Edmund?" Philip nodded his head. "Have you seen him? Is he alright?" Susan stared at the Horse, worry and love in her eyes.

Philip nodded his head sadly and replied, "My dear princesses, I was with the rescue party last night. I was one of the very few there that really saw your brother. Although it pains me to say this, I have never seen another creature in so much pain as your brother was, is, in." The girls' eyes widened and tears formed in their eyes. "I am truly sorry Your Highnesses."

It looked as if the two girls wanted to say something, but thought better. So within the next minute they were following the Horse out and towards Aslan. About halfway there they met up with Peter and Orieus. The centaur looked quite sad and Peter looked as if someone had just punched him in the gut with metal gauntlets.

The three children walked forward at their future subjects' nudges and started making their way up the cliff. There at the top stood Aslan, looking even more majestic in the light of the rising sun. The children knelt and Aslan looked at them with sad eyes.

He slowly made his way towards them and nudged for them to rise. They did and moved to stand next to The Lion. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, before the Lion spoke.

"My dear children, how much would you say you love your brother?" The three future monarchs looked taken back. Out of all the things they had ever expected to be asked, this was not one of them.

"What do you mean Aslan?" Susan looked stunned and scared at the same time.

"I mean, dear heart, would you be able to survive without your brother?"

"Why would you need to ask us that Aslan? Edmund is going to live isn't he?" Lucy looked very scared at the prospect of losing the older brother she still did not know much about. She wanted to get know him again, not have to say good-bye.

"Dear child, your brother has been through much pain in the past week. No one should ever have to live through that. I will bring you to him, but you must promise me, that you must have faith in your brother. You must love your brother, your family, with all you are." And with that said, without even waiting for a reply, the Great Lion started down the cliff and towards the large tent closest to the camp's entrance.

As they drew nearer, a female centaur stepped out of the tent and stopped in front of them. She bowed and looked at them with a look of utter grief and heartache.

"Before you enter I must warn you that his wounds have not been dressed yet. There is still much work to be done with them, so I would not advise entry if you are faint hearted." If the children had been scared before, they were terrified now. Building up what was left of his courage, Peter put on a brave face and looked at the centaur in determination.

"We do not care. We just want to see our brother." The healer nodded and turned to Aslan.

"Do wish to enter as well, Sire?" The Lion looked at her with his sad and knowing eyes.

"No, Healer Mashka, I believe that their Highnesses would rather be alone." He turned and started walking away, and soon he was out of sight. Before he left, he turned around once more and said, "Lucy, your cordial will not work on these wounds, not now. You all must be his cure." And with that, he walked away.

Mashka sighed and faced the, stunned children. They looked so scared and terrified for their brother that it broke her heart even more.

"Your Highnesses, your brother is not well, but maybe if we had some extra help he may heal faster. I know it may be prudent to ask but-"

"We'll do anything." Peter cut her off. She nodded and opened the flaps of the tent.

Mashka led them to the bed nearest the end where two Dryads were tending to the occupant. It took a few moments for the Pevensies to realize that the torn and bloodied body was their brother, but when they did, cold hard fear enveloped them. They stood there, shocked, not knowing what to think. Only when they felt a hand on their shoulder did they notice anyone else.

"Your Highnesses, we need to go fetch some more herb water and bandages. We shall be back shortly." With that said, they centaur and her two assistants were gone and the Pevensies were left alone with their brother.

For a moment nobody moved, but Lucy, being the little bubble of energy that she was, couldn't take it too long and soon she was at her big brother's side. She was about to grab his mauled hand, but stopped when she saw his fingers.

They were twisted in the oddest directions. One finger would be far away from the others, another would be overlapping, and two or three had bones sticking out of them.

Lucy gasped and almost fell backwards. She started to feel sick and almost a bit intoxicated. Not until Susan came over and gave her a comforting hug, did Lucy feel better.

"What is it Lucy?" Lucy couldn't be shore whether Susan knew or the choking in her voice was because she was afraid to know.

"His…his fingers…they're…they're…broken." She managed to gasp out. She felt more than saw her older sister's head look up and the gasp that followed it.

"Oh Edmund, what happened to you?" Susan was perilously close to tears. Seeing her brother like this was probably the worst thing she had ever seen. She turned her teary eyes up to her older brother and looked at him pleadingly. "Peter, what are we going to do?"

Peter, who had come over and sat on the other side of the bed, couldn't bear to look at his sister. "I don't know Susan, I don't know." He went over to touch his brother's cheek, when he suddenly realized that there was no cheek. "Susan, his cheek, it's not there." He watched his sister's eyes widen at his statement and turn her head to look at the younger boy's face.

He saw her reach up and then draw back when she saw the cheekbone, but no cheek. That did it for her tears, and now they were silently streaming down her face.

"Lucy, who had been silently watching this, looked at her brother and found his neck, or what was left of his neck. "Peter, Susan, look." She pointed to the long slit in his neck and was soon pulled into an embrace by Susan.

"What kind of monster is this Witch?" Susan's voice trembled with a hate and malice that Lucy had never heard before.

Peter shook his head. _I don't know Su, but when I find her I know I'm going to destroy her. How dare she cause my little brother suck pain. I'll kill her. I'll kill her!_

"Peter, Edmund will be alright, right? I mean he's going to live?" Lucy's eyes looked so hopeful, that it broke Peter's heart to tell her the truth.

"I don't know Lu, I wish I did, but I don't." A moment of silence filled the room and only when one of the gashes on Edmund's face started to bleed was there any movement.

Susan, who had been closest to the bandages and cleaning rag, slowly lifted them up and began to dab the damp rag on his wound. It was one of the longer ones, going from one end of the face to the other, and somehow it was different from the other marks that marred his face. She went about her task silently and wet eyed. Never had she thought that she would one day have to do this.

"Excuse us, your Highnesses." The three children moved away as the healers reentered. They watched as they slowly opened up Edmund's shirt and exposed more wounds.

"Mashka, may we please help?" Lucy's voice was tiny yet determined and anyone could see that she wanted to help. Mashka smiled at the three children and handed them each a rag.

"Of course, your Highness." And not even a moment later, all three children and the healer were working to heal the boy.

Susan, the closest to Edmund's face, leaned down and whispered into his ear, "You'll be alright." And for a brief moment, Susan could have sworn she saw him smile.

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**That was probably my shortest chapter yet. I hope you liked it. Plz review, but don't flame. The next chapter should be longer and have a lot more sibling moments and crying. Bring tissues! BYE!**


	8. Faith

**Hey all! Thanx so much for your awesome reviews! I loved them all and I am so sorry that this is so late! A quick warning to you all, this chapter is going to be very sad so I would advise having a few tissues nearby. Also this is not, nor will it ever be, slash or incest! It's just pure brotherly/sisterly bonding! Also, the first bit is sort of going to be mainly focused on Susan and Lucy later on, then it will switch to the brotherly Peter moments we all love so much. Plz forgive any grammar, spelling, or missing words.**

**Disclaimer: just look at chapter 2, I don't want to bore you with the details**

**Enjoy!

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**Chapter 8: Faith**

It was around mid-afternoon by time the group finished cleaning and dressing Edmund's wounds. It was a horrible and sad process and around the middle of it Susan had to leave the tent for a while. She had come back in a few minutes before they turned him onto his stomach. It was probably the worst one of all and it took all of Susan's strength not to faint at the memory.

_The older Daughter of Eve entered back through the tent flaps. Her little brother's wounds had cut a hole in her heart like nothing else ever had. He was in so much pain, she could see from the way his face scrunched up whenever they touched a particularly deep cut or a broken bone. Every time this happened she just wanted to hold him tightly and make the pain go away. He didn't deserve any of this, nobody did._

_She had left when the group of healers and her siblings reached a large "X" shaped gash outlined in an eerie blue across his chest. She didn't know why, but it made her freeze at the mere thought of it. For some reason, the gash gave her a sense of evil and cruelty unlike that of anything she had ever encountered. _

_The tent wasn't dry and musty like the one they had used when they went on a camping trip with dad, but cool and fresh. It was red and decorated with gold, but the one thing Susan noticed was that at the bottom of everything there was a golden Lion's head. Every time she looked at it, it gave her strength that her brother would live. But every time she looked at the torn and bloodied body that was her brother, those hopes plummeted. _

_Walking over to the cot, Susan took a washcloth from Peter and started wiping her little brother's forehead. One would think that wiping his forehead wouldn't seem so bad; it was. Blood and dirt attached to the cloth like a magnet, turning it from a nice white to an ugly brown. The thoughts of how they got there made Susan flinch, but she kept to her ministrations. _

_A few last wrappings were made to her brother's stomach until he was ready to be turned over. Peter picked up the neck and put his arm lightly around his brother's stomach so as not to injure him further. The younger boy gave out a small whimper, but other than that, he made no sound. Susan brushed a hand through his hair to soothe him. _

_Once Edmund was comfortably on his stomach, the group went about carefully taking off the rest of his shirt, or what was left of it. They were able to get it off after a minute or so and Susan had to stifle a gasp at what she saw._

_All along his back were long, thick, deep gashes. They ran from the bottom of his neck to the bottom of his back and they looked as if they had been burned into the skin. From the moment she saw them, Susan knew they were whip marks. But what puzzled her was that the worst ones were not from a leather whip. It frightened her to think of what might have been used._

_Susan stood frozen in her spot. How could they let this happen? How could they let their brother hurt so much? While it was true that he had not exactly been the nicest kid in the world, he was still her little brother and she loved him all the same._

_Getting over the initial shock, Susan shakily took a clean, moist rag from her astounded older brother. She could see it in his eyes that he was feeling as much, if not more, pain for Edmund as she was. His eyes held the same scared glimmer they had when Edmund fell off the London Bridge six years ago. She remembered that they had been visiting their aunt when he fell off. The only reason he lived was because a fishing boat had been passing by and pulled him out of the water. It had been one of the scariest days of her life._

_A half-strangled cry forced her back to her brother. Looking down at Edmund, Susan saw that one of the marks had opened up and blood was oozing out of it. Quickly taking the rag, she pressed on the wound in an attempt to stop the blood. She felt a hand on her own and looked up to see that Lucy had put her own trembling hands on hers to add more pressure. _

_Susan gave a weak smile to her little sister and then went back to staring at her brother. When at last the bleeding stopped, Susan felt as if she could cry. It was horrible to see her brother in such a state. Right now, Susan felt as if she would rather be on the battlefields of Germany or France instead of seeing Edmund in so much pain. _

_"Susan, could you lift up his arms?" Susan nodded her head and reached out to move Edmund's arms._

_Peter took the bandages and began wrapping them around Edmund's back. Susan saw the bandages turn a dark brown until they became so thick that the blood wouldn't show. _

_Edmund was rolled slowly onto his back and a long, silk blanket was wrapped around him. The three healers left the tent and the children were alone once more._

That was about an hour ago, and nobody had said a word since then; all drowning in their own thoughts. The only sound in the tent was Edmund's staggering breaths and occasional cough. Every few minutes Peter would run a hand through his brother's hair and check his bandages, concern evident on his face. Susan and Lucy would watch him, feeling powerless to do anything for Edmund. Not being able to stand it any longer, the two girls left, leaving Peter alone.

The girls exited the tent with heavy hearts. Seeing so many people die during the air-raids had been one thing, but to see their own brother dying slowly bit-by-bit was just too much to bear. They could not believe that this had happened and, yet, they knew it to be true.

For a while, both princesses walked in a daze around camp, both trapped in their own thoughts. Only when Lucy spoke was that daze broken.

"He said he loved me." She whispered. Susan looked at her in confusion, wondering what she meant.

"What?"

"He said he loved me." Lucy repeated, as the tears welled up in her eyes.

"Who?" Now Susan was really confused.

"Edmund. Right before he was taken he grabbed me by the arms and said that no matter what he said or did that he would always love me." The tears were threatening to spill.

Susan's eyes were wide with shock; she had never known this. She couldn't even begin to fathom what her sister was feeling. To have your own brother tell you that right before he is carted away to a place where death is your only escape was horrible to hear. Yet still, Susan, being the motherly person that she was, wrapped an arm around her little sister as the tears fell. They reached the lake where they had been attacked the day before and sat down; Susan pulling Lucy onto her lap.

Through her tears, Lucy managed to speak, "It's all my fault Susan! It's all my fault!"

"No, Lucy, it is not your fault." The older girl replied quietly, while tightening her hold on her sister.

"Yes it is, Susan! If I hadn't tripped than Edmund would be alright! He wouldn't be lying on a cot, dying from who knows what!" Lucy pulled her arms up to her chest as more tears fell.

"Lucy if you hadn't tripped than you would be the one in that cot." The thought of this made Susan cringe, but she didn't show it to Lucy.

"But if I hadn't tripped than Edmund wouldn't have to suffer more than he already does!"

"What do you mean?"

"You know Edmund suffers the most in our family. Bad things always happen to him, like when he went off to boarding school, the bullies always picked on him. Is he ever going to escape?" Her eyes looked at her big sister imploringly.

Susan sighed, "Yes Lucy, he will, and we're going to help him."

"How?"

"I don't know, but we'll find a way." Susan smiled slightly, but Lucy couldn't manage to make one. The younger girl snuggled into her sister's embrace and promptly cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Now, as the girls were having their own time together, Peter sat by his brother's side just watching him. It tormented Peter that he had allowed this to happen. Although it wasn't on purpose, the guilt wouldn't rid itself from him. Peter traced his finger along the outline of his brother's face, stopping at the part where his cheek had been taken off. The older boy shuddered. 

"Oh Edmund, what happened to you?" He whispered. The only reply was a slight cough and a movement of the hand. "No one should have to go through this, especially you. You're too young, Ed, and I'm sorry for everything." This time he was awarded with a groan from Edmund.

Peter smoothed down his brother's unruly hair and gently clasped his hand. It was silent for another few moments, until a sort of rustling from the tent entrance was heard. Peter didn't even turn his head as chestnut horse entered the tent. The horse sat down and turned his head to Peter.

Do not worry, Your Majesty. Have faith that your brother will pull through." Peter's eyes opened in shock at the Talking Horse, but it soon faded with a downcast look.

"I had faith that the war would never reach England, but it did. I had faith that my father would not be drafted, but he was. I had faith that I wouldn't be sent away, but I was. How can I have faith now?" The Horse didn't answer right away, but then he looked up, confidence shining in his eyes.

"Never give up on faith, Sire. You need it and your brother needs it. He needs your faith to keep him alive. He lives for you and your sisters, no one else." The Horse got up and walked towards the exit. He halted for a second and turned around. "Orieus wants you on the training field in an hour." And with that he left, leaving the two brothers alone once more.

Peter turned his head away the tent flaps and back to his brother's face. It scared him to think that just a few hours ago Edmund had been at the mercy of the Witch. He probably would have been dead by now. Seeing how he had been injured so much in just a short amount of time made Peter cringe.

Hearing a moan, the older boy grabbed a cool, wet rag and gently started dabbing his brother's face. Edmund whimpered a bit at first, but he soon calmed down and succumbed to his brother's gentle touch. A few lone tears streaked down his face, but Peter wiped them away with his thumb.

"I'm so sorry I let this happen, Ed. I'm such a horrible big brother. If only I had paid more attention to you and protected you like I should have, than maybe you'd be alright. How can you ever forgive me?" Peter bowed his head, shame engulfing him.

"Pe'er?" A soft, almost non-existent, voice said. Peter's head lifted up and he looked at Edmund in shock. His brother was awake!

"Edmund, shhh, save your strength." Edmund turned his hear and weakly glared at his brother.

"Shut…'p…Pe'er. Y'u'r…no'…h'rr'ble. …my…fa'lt…no'…y'urs." He managed to cough out. He was so weak that his speech was almost not understandable, but Peter knew what he was trying to say.

"Edmund, I…" He trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"…I'll… b'…a'ri'ht. Don'…w'rry. Tell…L'cy an' Su'an …it…was'…th'r fa'lt…ei'h'r." Edmund stopped talking as unconsciousness set in. Peter, still numb with shock, could only rub his thumb against his brother's broken hand.

"I can't help but worry, Ed. You're my little brother and I don't know what I'd do without you." Peter rested his hand on Edmund's former cheek, which was covered in bandages. "What can I do Eddy? I don't have enough faith." And, for the first time in years, Peter cried.

* * *

Orieus watched as his future High King swung his sword with great determination. He and the Unicorn Alverez got along wonderfully and were soon working in a compatible partnership. It was clear to the Centaur that Peter would work harder than he ever had in order to protect his sisters and avenge his brother. The love that he had for his siblings was probably greater than the Witch's magic, and maybe, just maybe, that was what would bring her down. 

"General Orieus?" The Centaur was jolted out of his thoughts by the sound of Peter's voice.

"Yes, Sire?"

"Would it be alright if I went for a ride to the archery area?" Peter was looking a bit uncomfortable, but Orieus gave him a small smile and a nod of the head.

"Of course, My Lord." Peter softly grinned and soon he and Alverez were riding along the grasses towards Susan and Lucy. Orieus looked after his prince and had to smile at how such a small being could bring so much hope and not even know it. But he would in time, with help.

As Orieus watched after Peter, Peter watched as the landscape changed and blended with each other. He wondered if this is what his dad saw as he drove across Europe in a military van just waiting for the next battle. He supposed it might be similar, but there was something different. Maybe it was the transportation, horse and van, or something else. Whatever it was, Peter didn't care. Right now, England or any country in Europe seemed so far away that they didn't even matter anymore. At least, not as much as before.

Peter reached the archery area just in time to see Lucy hit the bull's eyes. He smiled at her and moved his new friend over to them.

"Hey Su, Lu. How are you?" The two girls gave him small smiles.

"Alright. How were your lessons with Orieus?" Susan asked.

"Fine." Alverez snorted and Peter gave him a teasingly, dirty look.

"Oh, they fine alright. Right after you fell off my back and lodged your sword into the boulder right off to your left." Susan and Lucy giggled behind their hands at the thought.

"You know, they didn't need toknow that."

"I know." Peter frowned, but there was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes that hadn't been there in a while. The girls started laughing out loud.

"Sorry Peter, but you look so funny!" Lucy couldn't contain her laughter as she spoke. Her older brother frowned at now, but then gave her a wry smile.

"Thanks Lu, it's nice to know you care." He said it sarcastically.

"You're welcome." She gave a big smile and her eyes danced. Peter rolled his eyes, but smiled back.

"Want to for a walk?" He got off the Unicorn and sent back towards the inner camp. Susan shook her head, but Lucy walked over to her older brother a grasped his hand.

"I'll come." Susan waved them off and the two siblings walked away. The walked along the hills and around the camp until they came to the cliff that overlooked the sea.

"It's beautiful up here, isn't it?" Peter nodded and looked out towards Cair Paravel. "It's amazing how something so wonderful could be ruled by something so horrible." She continued. Peter looked up at her in wonder, amazed at how old his sister sounded.

"It is amazing, isn't it?" The question was rhetorical, but Lucy felt the need to answer it.

"Yes." A moment of silence overtook them until she spoke again. "Peter, did I cause what happened to Edmund? Susan told me I didn't, but I'm not sure whether to believe her or not. I trust her, but I can't help but think that it's all my fault." Peter was shocked at what he heard.

"Oh Lucy, it wasn't your fault. You didn't cause anything." He took her face in his hands and looked at her straight in the eyes. "Edmund woke up today for a few minutes and do you know what he said?" She shook her head. "He said that it wasn't your fault. Edmund doesn't blame you for anything, Lu. If anything, he's proud of you. Somehow, I think Ed knows how brave you've become."

"Really?" She looked so lost that Peter was close to tears having to see his sister hurt this much.

"Really. Ed knows you love him, and I know he loves you too."

"He told me that. Right before he made me run. He told me that he would always love me." A few, small tears leaked from her eyes. Peter brushed his thumb over them and wiped them away.

"Don't cry Lu, be strong." Lucy nodded and determination flared up in her eyes.

"I will. I will be strong for Edmund. He helped me, maybe I can help him." Peter smiled at her.

"Good. With your help, I know Ed will be just fine." Lucy sighed and after a moment, turned around and caught her brother in a fierce hug.

"Thanks Peter, for giving me faith to be strong." Peter was startled and awkwardly hugged her back. After a moment, they pulled away only to find Mr. Beaver hurrying towards them.

"Peter! Lucy!" He stopped right in front of them. "The Witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan." He paused to catch his breath. "She's on her way here." The two children looked at each other. This could not be good.

* * *

**Well, what do you think? Plz review, but NO FLAMING! Another poll (Sry I have a lot of questions.)**

**When I finish this story, would you like me to go back and do the rest of the beginning, before they meet the Beavers or just leave it as it is?**

**Also, I'm going to be doing a sequel to this, which will combine my two stories of That Little Detail and Impossible. And just to let you know, there will be romance with some OC characters much later on in the story, but there will be NO MARY SUES OR MARTY STUS!**

**I'm afraid I won't be able to update for a while because I have a school trip for three days to Washington D.C. (a long trip. groan) Then I have finals and graduation and then I have to get braces triple groan. But I promise to have at LEAST chapter eleven up by the end of June. Sorry.**

**Plz review, BYE!**


	9. Promise

**Hiya people! Sorry it took so long to update, but I have been super busy with graduation, parties, and braces. I hope you like this chapter. You will probably be ready to kill me by the end of the next chapter so I'm savoring my life. The time for Aslan's sacrifice has come, so get some tissues. And obviously, the movie dialogue has been changed. **

**When I finish this story, I plan on going back and redoing the beginning. Starting two years before the war began and then with the beginning of the movie. But that is a long way off.**

**Plz excuse any grammar or spelling mistakes. Also, I would like to say a huge thanks to all of my reviewers. You all rock!**

**Disclaimer: Ch. 2**

**ENJOY!

* * *

**

**Chapter 9: Promise**

Peter and Lucy raced along the rolling hills until they reached the crowd of creatures gathering at the bottom. They spotted Susan and ran over to her as fast as they could. She was standing at the end near Aslan, her hands clamped tightly together and shaking with worry. Lucy reached up and touched her arm and Peter put his arm around her shoulders. She smiled gratefully and then turned her attention to the entourage coming towards them.

A Dwarf walked ahead of the others, shouting, "Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Empress of the Lone Islands!" There were catcalls as a tall woman was carried down the isle by Cyclopes on a litter.

Aslan stood proud and strong at the end, while the woman cast her cold eyes at the three children. It was obvious who this was.

She was set down at the base before the Great Lion. Standing up quickly, she continued to glare at all those opposing her. She walked forwards and gave a long, hard glance at the three Pevensies.

"You have something that belongs to me, Aslan." Murmurs were heard all throughout the camp as creatures pondered over her words.

"He does not belong to you."

"Have You forgotten the Laws upon which Narnia was built?" The Lion let out a fierce growl.

"Do not site the Deep Magic to Me, Witch!" He narrowed His eyes. "I was there when it was written." His voice was low and menacing.

The Witch seemed to think that she was above Him as she loosened her posture and looked at Him coolly. "Then You will remember well that every being I mark belongs to me," Here she paused and gave tiny smirk. "His blood is my property."

There was a sound of a sword being drawn and everyone turned to see that Peter had Rhindon out and pointed at the Witch. His eyes were narrowed and there was a blazing fury that could easily be seen.

"Try and take him then!" He said fiercely. The Witch, however, was not threatened.

Casting Peter a cool glance, she said, "Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right," She looked him up and down. "Little King?"

Peter's eyes widened and he lowered his sword, stepping back. Jadis's gaze turned back to Aslan.

"Aslan knows that unless I have blood as the Law demands," Here she turned to address the crowd. "All of Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water."

Lucy, feeling very ill at the moment, could feel the horror creep through her. Suddenly, as if she had been struck by lightning, she flinched and looked at the Witch in the eyes. Her rage boiled and she finally let loose her anger and hurt.

"Don't you think you've had enough blood! Didn't you get enough of that when he was your prisoner!" Tears leaked from her eyes at the thought. "How much more blood do you need?" The last bit was almost whispered, but her words rang throughout the camp.

Her siblings stared at her in unconcealed shock. Never had they seen Lucy so worked up. She usually stayed calm, not as calm as Susan, but she never called out.

"Child, " She started sickeningly. "I need all of his blood." Lucy's eyes widened as she finally accepted what the Witch meant. "Yes child, death." She turned to look at Aslan.

"The boy will die on the Stone Table," Her gaze filled with triumph. "As is tradition." Her eyes threatened Aslan to challenge her. "You dare not refuse me."

The Great Lion's head sagged for a moment, then He said, "Enough," He paused, letting His mind come to a conclusion. "I shall talk with you alone." He turned and entered the tent.

Jadis smirked once more before she followed. There was silence all around, even by Jadis's minions. Many of them sat down on the ground and waited. The three children did the same.

Peter gathered Lucy onto his lap and she snuggled her head into his neck. He put a protective arm around her and began to rock her back and forth as the silent tears leaked from her eyes. Susan sat down across from him, her mind lost in a daze. Her eyes were clouded and it looked as if she were about to collapse. Peter reach out with his free hand and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. Susan snapped out of her thoughts and gave Peter a gentle smile. It was many moments later before the Witch reappeared.

Everyone stood up and watched fearfully and anxiously for what would happen. She paused in front of the children before turning and going back to her litter. Aslan appeared seconds later and all eyes turned to Him.

He waited for a moment before giving the final verdict. Then, after what seemed like hours but was only a few seconds, He spoke. "She has renounced her claim on the Son of Adam's blood." Loud shouts of joy were heard from Aslan's army.

Peter lifted Susan up and spun her around as happy tears flowed from her eyes. Lucy was clapping so hard that her hands were turning red. Many creatures came over to congratulate them. However, Jadis was not done.

"How do I know Your promise will be kept?" Aslan let loose a loud and ferocious roar, making the Witch practically fall into her seat. Many of the creatures laughed and cheered as she was finally carried off.

Lucy was getting hugs and handshakes from all over. She turned to look at Aslan only to find that He did not share their joy. Her happy face fell as she wondered why He seemed so sad. Did it have to do with His promise? His eyes met hers and they seemed to say that she shouldn't worry. He turned around and headed back into the tent. Lucy looked on after Him until she felt a hand clasp her shoulder. She put a smile on her face, but her heart was no longer in it.

* * *

Peter entered the medical tent and grabbed a stool along the side. He pulled it over to his brother's cot and grabbed Edmund's less mangled hand. The other hand had, to his horror, been almost completely burnt away. It was a miracleEdmund was still alive. After she had examined him, Casial, one of Mashka's Dryad assistants, had told them that the Witch had given Edmund a potion that had kept him alive. Why? Peter had no idea.

Turning his attention back on his brother, Peter could see sweat coming from his forehead. He grabbed a cloth and dunked itin the water bowl next to the table. Peter dabbed his brother's face as well as he could. Since bandages covered most of his face, it was a short task. Peter straightened the sheets covering his brother's mangled body. Edmund was like one giant cast and Peter would be amazed if he could walk by the end of next year.

It was sad to think that the last thing that he had done was yell at him. Peter wished that he could take it all back. He had never expected Edmund to get hurt. _No, Edmund's been hurting long before he met the Witch._ It was true. While, physically, Edmund had not been hurt, he was emotionally. _He's been hurting ever since he was sent to boarding school. The war and the draft only made it worse._

Rubbing his thumb against his brother's only cheek, Peter tried to see in his mind what Edmund had looked like before he went off to school, only to find that he couldn't. He couldn't remember what his brother had looked like without a scowl on his face! Peter held back his tears. Had he really been that blind?

He leaned close to Ed's ear and began to speak, "I know you probably can't hear me Ed, but I have to tell you that I'm sorry for everything. I know I've already told you, but I have to say it again." He took a deep breath. "You mean so much to me. I don't know how I could have been so harsh towards you." He looked at the tent's roof and found that at the top was a Lion's head. It gave him the strength to continue.

"I never meant all those cruel things I said about you being an idiot, being stupid, or being a horrible little beast. You are certainly not any of those because you are one of the smartest people I know and, when you want to be, one of the kindest. I know you've been acting beastly because you're afraid that if you don't you'll appear weak. You won't Ed. The bullies may call you that, but you're not. You're so strong and I have always been so proud of you. I'm sorry I never told you before." There was a long pause.

Peter looked once more at the ceiling and then back to his brother's face. It destroyed him to think of what had been done to him. Pulling the sheets tighter around the younger boy, Peter continued.

"Please get better soon Ed. We need you. I need you. I love you Eddy. Don't you ever think otherwise, because it won't be true. No matter what happens, I will **always** love you." Peter finished and as he got up to leave he could have sworn that Edmund squeezed his hand.

* * *

Nighttime fell on the camp quickly. Fires were lit and creatures headed into their tents for some sleep before the battle. True, the thought of dying scared some of them, but if that was the cost of saving Narnia, than so be it. Everyone managed to fall asleep rather quickly, everyone, that is, except for Lucy.

The young girl tossed and turned in her cot (which was really more like a small twin bed). Her mind was plagued by what she had seen in Aslan's eyes after His talk with the Witch. They held such sadness that Lucy could only come to wonder over what He had promised her. But what could He have promised her that would make Him sad?

These thoughts ran through her mind and they were stopped only when she saw a familiar profile through the tent's walls. Sitting up straight, she called her sister's name. Susan got up drowsily and watched as Lucy grabbed her cloak and gifts. She quickly followed and soon the two girls were outside.

Quietly following the Great Lion, the girls snuck behind each tree. After about fifteen minutes, Aslan stopped.

"Shouldn't you both be in bed?" His voice was low and solemn. The girls stepped out from behind a large tree. They each cast each other a glance.

"We couldn't sleep." Lucy said quietly. Well, actually, she couldn't sleep.

"Please Aslan, couldn't we come with you?" Susan's voice was soft andpleading as she asked.

The Lion sent them appreciative glances before answering. "I would be glad of the company for a while." He paused. "Thank you." The two sisters walked up to Him and put their hands in His mane. Then they began to walk.

It was some time later before Aslan stopped. The girls let go of His mane, questions in their eyes.

"It is time," The Lion gave a sigh. "From here I must go on alone."

"But Aslan-" Susan began.

"You have to trust me, for this must be done." He walked forward slowly. "Thank you Susan, thank you Lucy, and farewell." There was such finality in His last word that it frightened the two princesses.

They watch His retreating back for a moment before glancing at each other. Susan took the first step and Lucy followed. Aslan wouldn't be left alone.

* * *

Aslan walked slowly towards the Stone Table. The Witch's creatures howled and screeched and roared as He approached. He watched as Jadis carefully walked onto the Table.

The Great Lion made His way through the horde of screaming beasts; each one trying scare or jeer at Him. He stood before the Witch, her knife gleaming by the fire's glow.

"Behold, the Great Lion." She mocked at Him. Terrible laughs echoed throughout the clearing. Her general jabbed Him with his axe. Then, with a nod from the Queen, flipped Him onto His side. More laughter was heard.

"Do you want some milk?" The Witch's henchman, Ginnabrik, mocked.

"Bind him!" Jadis ordered. Her minion's grabbed the nearby rope and wrapped it around the Mighty Beast. He was about to be pulled towards the Table before the Witch stopped them.

"Wait," She cried, true malice in her eyes. "Let Him first be shaved." Great cheers erupted from the creatures as Ginnabrik took out his knife and cut off a great amount of His mane.

Soon, Aslan was being stepped on by creatures from all over. They all pulled at His hair fiercely until He looked only like a large cat.

"Bring him to me!" The Witch commanded. Aslan was dragged onto the Table and then the ropes were tied to each corner.

There were catcalls and jeers from all around. Then, as the Witch threw out her arm, there was silence. The silence only lasted a few moments before the hags started bringing down their staffs. Then, the wolves started howling, and each different creature started making their own type of call.

Throughout all of this, Jadis kneeled down and wrapped an arm around The Lion. Her face was calm, yet unforgiving, and her touch was like ice.

"You know Aslan, I'm a little disappointed in You." She paused. "Did You honestly think that by all this You could save a human marked as mine?" She stopped to let it all sink in.

"You are giving me Your life and saving no one." One her face was a calm, malicious look. "Huh. So much for love." With that said she stood up and addressed the excited crowd.

"Tonight, the Deep Magic will be appeased!" The crowd cheered. "But tomorrow, we will take Narnia FOREVER!" The last line set the creatures off like wildfire. The screamed and cheered in joy.

"In that knowledge, despair," She raised the dagger high above her head. "And DIE!" She brought it down swiftly and directly. It pierced through His skin and The Lion let loose His last breath.

"The Great Cat is DEAD!" She screamed and all the creatures gave a wild cheer. The Witch closed her eyes and let loose her own breath.

"General, prepare your troops for battle." The Minotaur let out a mighty roar. "However short it may be."

* * *

Susan and Lucy watched, transfixed, with tears rolling down their cheeks. Susan gathered Lucy in her arms as they both cried. Lucy now knew what He had promised her.

* * *

**So, what did you think. Plz review, but don't flame. I hope you liked the chapter. It is now 1:55 in the morning and I am not tired. If you want to kill me now, wait until you get a load of the battle. You will want tissues.**

**I don't know when I'll get the next chapter posted, but I promise you won't have to wait as long. If anyone has any prank ideas, please let me know. BYE!**


	10. The Cliff

**Hello all! You are all going to hate me by the end of this chapter (not that you don't already). I've decided not to bore you with any details. Also, I am so sorry that this took so long to get out, but I have been having a horrible writer's block. But I've already started writing the next chapter so it won't take so long to get out.**

**Note: Every one of the things Jadis did to Edmund has a purpose. Most of it is so that she could mark him. The reason I cut off his cheek is for another reason, which will come into play later. I didn't just do it for drama. Also, is it Orieus or Oreius?**

**Second note: Bold Italics means that you're inside Ed's mind, so everything there is from his P.O.V.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it. Ignore grammar, spelling, etc.**

_**Edmund's Void**_

_**Peter/Anyone Talking from outside the Void**_

**Edmund's thoughts while in the Void**

_Thoughts outside the Void_

**ENJOY!**

**Chapter 10: The Cliff**

**It** was a half an hour after the Witch and her army disappeared that Susan and Lucy built up the courage to approach the Table. By that time, a slight haze was beginning to fill the sky so it was easier to see The Lion. But even though the sky was lightening, it still felt that all hope had disappeared. It took all their strength to make it up those stone steps without collapsing.

They slowly walked over to The Lion and sat on either side. His once magnificent mane was now only a few tufts of dead hair and His beautiful golden fur was now as dull as a dead daisy. Everything about him was dead.

Both girls were beginning to cry, but Lucy still had the silent hope that the cordial would work. She wrapped shaking hands around it and brought it close to His lips. Susan stopped this motion.

"It's too late," Her voice cracked. "He's gone." Still seeing Lucy close to tears, and feeling herself beginning to follow, she put on a smile and said, "He must have known what He was doing." She didn't know if this was to reassure he little sister or her; maybe it was both.

Lucy put the cordial back into its holster and laid her head down on The Lion's neck. Susan put her arm around her and followed suit. Then, they heard the noise.

**Peter** had been sitting with his brother for hours now. Mashka, Casial, and another assistant named Tatia, had been in and out of the tent every few minutes and it was really beginning to annoy him.

As of right now though, he and his brother were the only ones in the tent. It was unnaturally quiet and it made Peter feel uncomfortable. The only thing that kept him from checking Edmund's breathing every few seconds was that fact that he could see his chest rising ever so slightly.

He had seen to it that the girls were comfortable in their own tent before he went to the medical tent for the rest of the night. That was five hours ago and Peter had yet to fall asleep. He almost envied his sisters for being able to sleep, but as soon as that thought came to his mind he banished it. They were just as worried as he was and they too were trying to be strong for Edmund.

But they weren't here right now, so that job depended solely on Peter. It was hard, but he was willing to do it. He would do anything for his brother.

**_It's dark and everything is silent. The pain is overbearing and I just want to cry out to whomever is there to make it stop. I know someone is there because I could hear It, but why won't the being help me. It-_**

**The Witch._ She has me and I am once again at her mercy. She will torture me until who knows when. She will laugh at my pain and then leave me to rot. My siblings won't even recognize me when I am found and they will just walk all over me like they have in the past. Then, the Witch will come and kill them too. She'll watch them suffer and then…well, I can't say. I have to get out; have to get away._**

**_Eddy!_**

**Wait! That's Peter's voice. What's he doing at the Witch's castle? Had she already gotten them all and now she's hurting them too?**

**_Edmund, calm down! You're at Aslan's Camp remember?_**

**Aslan's Camp? What? What's the Peter voice talking about?_ And then it all comes back. The rescue, the bandaging, waking up…Peter. Relief floods through me and I struggle to awaken once more._**

**Susan**, terrified of mice, started shooing the creatures away from Aslan's body. She had always hated mice, ever since one had bitten her when she was small, but the fact that they would dare to harm The Lion's body made her blood boil.

"Get away! Get away all of you!" She weakly flicked her wrists at the mice, but it didn't seem to be doing much. Just as she was about to yell at them again, Lucy's voice stopped her.

"No, look." Her voice was wispy, almost dreamy, and her gaze fell on the mice. Susan looked closer and found that the creatures were actually gnawing away at the ropes. Maybe the mice were useful after all.

Both girls took shaking hands and pulled on the ropes, making them come off. Lucy even ran her hand against his muzzle, searching for some kind of warmth. A sad sort of grimace graced Susan's face as a thought came to mind.

"We have to tell the others."

Lucy looked up and a desperate look came over her face. "We can't just leave him." There was truth in that, but…

"Lucy, there's no time. They need to know." Susan could tell that Lucy already knew this, but the thoughtful expression and sudden realization that dawned on the younger's face surprised her.

"The trees." Perfect.

**He **should have known that when the Witch renounced her claim on Edmund's blood that it was just too easy. He should have, but once again, his ignorance blinded him.

As the sun had just begun to rise, a Dryad, much like Casial, had woken him up and told him of Aslan's death. It was the only thing that could have taken Peter from his brother's side and when he entered Aslan's empty tent any doubt left his mind.

Now, here he was, a boy of thirteen with two little sisters and a dying little brother, looking at a battle map. Even in his wildest dreams, Peter never would have thought that he would be doing this someday. Although Oreius and Miron were right next to him, Peter felt as if he had already lost.

"Sire, if I may be so bold?" Peter was shocked out of his thoughts by the newly made Faun commander. After nodding quickly, Miron resumed talking. "With Aslan gone you'll have to lead us."

Peter was shocked. The only thing he had ever lead was a debate during political assessment class. He barely heard Miron saying that the army would follow him in whatever he decided to do.

"I can't." It was too much. He just couldn't do it.

"Sire, if Aslan believed you couldn't do it, he never would have don't what he did. He believed in you and so do we." There it was, plain and simple and right out of the Faun's mouth.

Oreius, who had been silent this entire time, made the resolve final. "The Witch's army is nearing sire, what are your orders?" And Peter knew what he had to do.

**"Edmund?"** Peter entered the tent for the last time before the battle. "I just came in to tell you that I'll be back before you even realize I'm gone. We will avenge you Ed; the Witch will pay." He turned to leave when he felt something brush against his hand. Turning around, he was shocked to see that it was Edmund.

The younger boy was barely conscious, but he managed a weak smile and loosely wrapped his bandaged hand around Peter's armored one. Then, in a raspy voice, he managed to choked out a few words.

"Good lu'k Pe'er. Y'u c'n win. I have fa'th in y'u." And then he slumped back onto his pillows, unconscious.

Peter just started and he probably would have just continue like that were it not for Oreius' call that they were ready. Quickly leaning down, he placed a soft kiss on his brother's bandaged forehead.

"Thank you Eddy. Now I know we can win." And with that, he turned and left the tent.

**It **was a beautiful field with the greenest grasses and the most wonderful flowers. Hard to believe that it would soon be littered with bodies. Peter almost felt like turning back just to save this beautiful place any more agony. Sadly, it was not to be.

Goldstorm the Gryphon flew overhead and nodded to Commander Miron who was leading the archers. With Edmund in the state that he was, Susan probably would have headed them, but neither she, nor Lucy, could be found. Although Peter was worried out of his mind for them, as long as they weren't fighting, he was fine.

Goldstorm landed next to him and Alverez stepped aside to give the creature more room. The Gryphon looked up and peter could see determined worry flashing across his eyes and face.

"They come, Your Highness, in numbers and weapons far greater than our own." Peter heard Oreius snort.

"Numbers do not win a battle." It was a bittersweet statement and Peter couldn't help but think of the Nazis.

"No…but I bet they help." He looked out onto the horizon and saw the beautiful Beast arrive.

A horn sounded and, although it wasn't very significant, Peter couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor polar bears he managed to see. In this new heat they had to be dying.

Getting his mind back to the battle at hand, he turned around and nodded to Miron, who nodded back. Peter raised his sword and Aslan's Army gave in to their nervous excitement with cheering. In the distance, the young future king could see _her _army beginning their charge. He lowered his sword in a sharp downward thrust.

Goldstorm's Gryphons took to the sky and began dropping boulders with deadly accuracy. Pete had to hold his breath; it was too much like the bombings.

"Are you with me?" He turned to Oreius and a looked flashed through the General's eyes, but it was too quick to catch.

"To the death." That was all he needed to know.

"For Narnia, Edmund, and for Aslan!" Cheers rose up from the crowd and Peter charged, his army behind him. The battle for freedom had begun.

**It **seemed so unfair that the sun should rise when the Narnia's Living Sun was dead. It was to this that Susan and Lucy awoke, their eyes red from sleep and tears. Susan took one look around and then at Lucy.

"We should go." She had expected her sister to put up a fight, but all she got were a pair of dead blue eyes.

"I'm so cold." With that, she got down from the Table and her older sister wrapped her arms around her. One look back, and then they started to descend the stairs.

A loud crack rippled across the surrounding area and the two girls fell to their knees. Regaining their equilibrium, they spun around and looked up the stairs. To their horror, the Table was cracked in two and Aslan's body was nowhere to be found.

"Susan!" There was desperation in Lucy's voice. They wandered up in a daze to the Table and still they found nothing. "Where's Aslan?"

Her older sister didn't have an answer, but a question of her own. "What have they done?" _What **had **they done?_

Just then, the sun's light rose to such an astounding brilliance that the girls had to close their eyes for a brief moment. They looked up at the arch and wonder filled them. There, gleaming like the Sun that He was, was Aslan-an alive Aslan.

"Aslan!" Neither knew whether they had breathed it out or shouted, but in their jubilance, they found that they didn't care.

The Great Lion laughed as both children embraced Him. Susan pulled away first, happy tears rolling down her cheeks.

"But we saw the knife…the Witch." Lucy too pulled away at that and looked at The Lion in curiosity.

"If the Witch knew the true meaning of sacrifice she might have interpreted the Deep Magic differently. That when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in a traitors stand, the Stone Table will crack," They stopped walking and turned to the Table. "and even death Itself will turn backwards."

"We sent the news that you were dead." Susan turned towards the Lion. "Peter and the others would have gone to war." A soft _ping_ was heard and Susan saw that Lucy had her dagger out.

"We have to help them." There was a tone in her Lucy's voice and Susan felt pride swell in her that this was her sister.

Aslan chuckled and raised on magnificent paw to lower Lucy's hand. "We will dear one," His eyes shimmered. "but not alone."

The girls were puzzled, but they trusted The Lion. He walked forward and crouched onto the ground.

"Climb on my back." The two shared a looked and did as He said. "We have far to go and very little time to get there." Unknowingly, a small grin made its way onto His face. "And you may want to cover your ears." With that, He let loose a mighty roar and they were gone.

**Peter…you're an idiot. You can't fight her, she's too strong. You need me there._ The blackness is all around me once again and I struggle against it to get out. Peter needs me. I know he can't kill her alone, even with an Army. _**

_**I have to get out, have to wake up. She'll win if I don't help. I know it. Please God…Aslan…anyone! Just let me awaken so I can fight. **_

_**I see a light.**_

**Dark** brown eyes opened fully for the first time in days. For a moment everything swam and ran together in a sea of colors. Another moment passed and Edmund was finally able to make out the tent. There was nobody to be seen. _Good._

The prince managed to sit up and examine his bandages. New ones had replaced the old and many of them were much thinner then they had been a few days ago. The bandages on his legs were actually gone, as the salve that had been put on them had healed the wounds quickly. His broken fingers were in a brace and his burnt hand was regenerating skin so quickly (most likely because of the rare herbs that Tatia had given him) that it was actually starting to look like a hand again. The bandages that had been on his face when Peter left were gone and the wounds almost completely healed, leaving only small scars. The only things that remained remotely the same were his cheek (which was still bandaged), his burnt whip marks, and the spot where the Witch had marked him. However, even they were healing, albeit slowly.

In Edmund's book, he was fit to fight; in everyone else's, he should still be unconscious. But Edmund never had cared for what others though, so he sat up straighter, pulled off the blankets, stood up…and fell back down. Okay, so he wasn't fit to do much of anything, but that had never stopped him before.

Picking himself up once more, the young boy managed to stand up for three minutes before falling. He scowled and tried to stand up again. This time it worked, but not before Mashka walked in.

The Centaur healer gasped and dropped her bowl of herb water. Rushing over to him, she gently pushed him back onto the cot and tucked him firmly in.

"Don't you dare try to move again, sire, or I will have Philip come in a watch you." _Philip?_ Edmund was confused beyond reason, but decided that it was best just to nod his head.

"Now, don't move and go to sleep, I will be back later with new bandages." She began to walk out, but changed her mind and turned around. Fixing him with a glare that could rival that of Jadis, she said with a hidden threat, "And I **will** know if you move." She left.

The only problem with her threat was that Edmund had been threatened enough times in his life to know when someone would carry it out or not. Unfortunately, this time he was too disorientated to realize that she **always** did what she said.

Throwing off the blanket (which took about seven minutes because he was so firmly tucked in), he was able to walk over to the other end of the tent and change out of the medical garb. On a chair was a set of tunics, leggings, and boots. Gingerly slipping the layers on, he made to leave when something caught his eye.

In the corner by his cot, lay a magnificent sword. It was laying in a beautiful, deep blue sheath and the hilt was made of silver with royal blue leather. Where the hilt met the blade was a lion's head, a sapphire for each eye. But the most extraordinary thing about it were the words running down the sharpened blade.

It stated, "Call and we shall come, forever right by your side." All Edmund could do was stare, so shocked was he. This was the most beautiful thing he had ever received. Looking down, he found a small peace of parchment. Opening it up, he read (quite miraculously for the script was very curly),

"Dear Edmund,

This sword was crafted for you and only you. I have bestowed upon it the name of Caladus, much like I gave your brother's sword the name Rhindon. As much as I would love to tell you to stay out of the war, I know that you would not listen. So to that, I give you my luck and hopes that all will turn out alright.

Happy Belated Christmas,

Father Christmas

P.S. Your siblings each got two gifts, your second is not a material possession, but one that you must find within yourself."

If Edmund was shocked before, now he was utterly astounded. Delicately, he returned the light sword to its sheath and attached it to his belt. Father Christmas was right, nothing could stop him from fighting.

**"Fire!"** Miron shouted the order and Lunea the Centaur let loose a flaming arrow. A crack was heard a moment later and a large Pheonix appeared, it's eyes set on a distinct destination.

One of the boggles spotted it and began to fly towards the creature, ready to strike it down. Peter, seeing what was about to happen, grabbed a spear from a dead Cyclops. Alverez ran swiftly and the boy-king to aim. With one deadly thrust, the spear went flying and imbedded itself into boggle's non-existent heart. The Pheonix was free to carry out its task.

The creature swooped down and erupted into flames, leaving a barrier between the two armies behind. But a victory was not to be, for a moment after Peter raised his visor, the Witched used her magic to extinguish the flames.

"Fall back! Draw them to the rocks!" A horn sounded and Peter lowered his visor before dashing towards the cliffs, his army all around him.

At the top of the cliffs, Mr. Beaver (in his unnaturally small armor) and Miron retreated to the base of the rocks with the rest of the archers. They had heard the signal and were ready (somewhat) for the battle ahead.

The two watched as Peter lead his army towards the rocks, never once looking back. They watched as he dodged all of the obstacles that threatened to end his life. They watched and were amazed.

With his sword at the ready, Miron looked at Mr. Beaver and said, "He'll make a magnificent king."

"Aye, a magnificent king in deed."

**Everything** moved by in a blur, the sounds, the colors, and the time. Neither girl knew where they were going and although they trusted Aslan, the had to know.

"Where are we going?" Susan asked in wonder. Then, she saw the icy castle.

"Hang on." Aslan hadn't answered the question for he knew what they were seeing and as unpleasant as the destination may be, had to get help.

**Stone.** Oreius, Castillo the Rhinoceros, and many other were stone. Oh and Alverez was as good as dead seeing as some Dwarf had shot him, causing him to fall, and Oreius and Castillo to come to his rescue. Now the two were stone and Peter felt as if the sky were falling.

There wasn't much he could do now, but fight until someone came and rescued them all. _Oh Aslan, we could really use some help._

**She **couldn't believe it. All these beings, people with lives suddenly put on a permanent pause, were right her in front of her. Many looked as if they were about to attack something while others looked frightened and in pain. A hundred years worth of people, of fighting, was right here in this icy courtyard. It was a wonder that Edmund was not.

A sob sounded next to Susan and she looked to see that it was Lucy. The young girl was staring at a faun who looked as if he had just watched the world come crashing down. His arms were out as if to plead and his horns had been shorn off. Susan had hunch of who this was and she wrapped her arms around Lucy as she cried.

Just as she felt tears begin to swell in her eyes, Aslan walked over and softly breathed on the creature. The statue's hair actually moved and soon the stone began to fade away. In its place was a tired and bruised looking faun. He took one deep breath and collapsed into Lucy' waiting arms.

The faun looked up and laughed with the younger girl as their eyes met. Lucy then turned to her sister, who was grinning like mad.

"Susan, this is-" Bust Susan cut her off.

"Mr. Tumnus!" And she embraced him a warm hug. They a chuckled and soon Aslan appeared from the doorway with a whole mass of different creatures.

"Come, we must hurry and search the castle. Peter will need everyone we can find." He turned

"Susan, Lucy, I need you to do a quick scourge of the castle for any other creatures that may be of aid." He nodded to the Satyr and Faun next to him. "Verul and Rolian will help. Remember, make this quick and that everything is in the past." The last part troubled the girls, but they left Mr. Tumnus' side and to the entrance. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy saw the Lion motion the her Faun friend and then she was gone.

**Lucy** shivered as they quickly made their way through the icy corridors. Now she knew why the Witch's army was so hideous looking. If she had to spend a lot of her time here she'd be hideous too.

Susan put her arm around the younger girl and looked in terrified awe at the castle's walls. She really hoped that the gruesome faces sticking out from the columns were just a bad architect's imagination and not some other cruel torture of the Witch. She shivered at the thought of it.

Verul seemed to notice his future queen's discomfort, for he sent her a compassionate look.

"Do not worry, your Highness, you are safe." He watched a small smile light up her face and he felt like he had accomplished a great deed. His Faun companion sent him a look and he returned to his soldier attitude.

"Rolian?" Verul watched as the Faun lost his monotone face for a moment and looked at the nine-year-old in shock.

"Yes, milady?" His blank look returned.

"If it's not to bold to ask, but could you take us to the dungeons?" Everyone, even Susan, looked at her in shock.

"Lu-" Lucy sent her sister a silencing look that was completely out of character for her.

"I need to see it Susan. I need to know." She turned her head so that she was only looking ahead. "Besides, there may be other creatures down there." Susan gave her a hard look before giving a sad smile and nodding.

Verul and Rolian looked at each other in puzzlement, but gave hesitant nods. "Of course, your Highness." And they took off down a flight of stairs.

Five minutes after the third stairwell, the group approached a icy, metal door and managed, with a few swords, to open it. The stench of blood and decay met their nostrils and the two girls, who hadn't had the military training of their companions, gagged and clutched their noses. The other two just made a face.

They went down rows of cells, each time peaking in to see if anybody was there. So far they had found nothing. Then they came to the last cell. It reeked of blood and all along the floor puddles of the substance could be seen.

"I thought being turned into stone was horrible, but this is just…I can't even describe this." Verul looked at the chains and then at the princesses, both who seemed shocked beyond belief. He and Rolian shared another look; something was wrong and it wasn't just because of the cell.

"Susan, you don't think…" The younger child looked up at her sister and fear brimmed in her eyes.

"I hope not Lu, but I'm afraid that's not the case." Tears shone in her eyes and she again wrapped her arms around her sister.

"Your Highnesses, if it is not too prudent to ask, but what do you mean." Rolian watched as Susan took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes.

"The Witch had kidnapped my younger, her older, brother. He was rescued a few days ago and we could hardly recognize him." She took a deep breath. "He was torn and bloodied and he looked as if he were dead. We fear that this may have been his cell."

"Oh." Both protectors looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Majesties, we should probably go. Aslan will be waiting." The girls took one last look around the room and shivered. Then, they followed their future subjects out towards Aslan and fresh air.

**Edmund** breathed in his first bout of fresh air since being brought to Narnia. His face stung, but he ignored his body's protests as he struggled up the hill, his leg still slightly broken. Discreetly, Edmund walked/hobbled towards a large red tent and found to his surprise (and glee) the battle plans. It couldn't have gotten easier.

"What do you think you are doing, Highness?" Scratch that. It just got harder.

Edmund spun around, catching himself as he began to fall. There, in front of him was large, chestnut Horse. The creature was looking at him in irritated askance and Edmund betted that, if he could, the Horse would have had an eyebrow raised at him. It only took a moment of shock for Edmund to remember that the Animals in Narnia did talk.

"Who are you?" So it may have been a bit rude, but at the moment Edmund didn't care.

"My name is Philip, sire." _Philip? This was the creature that that healer would have sent in to watch me?_ "However, you still haven't answered my question. What do you think you're doing?"

"Umm…well, I was…you see…um…I'm Edmund." _Oh way to go Ed, now he must think you're an idiot!_

"I know, but that doesn't answer my question."

"You had a question?" Philip fixed him with a cool glance and Edmund faltered. "Well, I was kind of hoping to figure out where Peter had gone."

"Why?" The Horse was starting to get suspicious and he had a feeling he knew why.

"Because…umm, I want to go and fight." The last part was answered in a sort of sheepish way.

"You what?!" Edmund swore that Philip's eyes could not have gotten any bigger. "In your condition? Majesty, you just woke up after being unconscious for three days. You are not going anywhere, especially to war!"

"But Philip-"

"No buts, sire. If you're brother, or anyone, found out that I let you go to war alone in the state you're in they would have my head." _Loophole._

"Then don't let me go alone." A very Edmund-like smirk lit up his face as he fought the Horse's logic.

"Wha-" Philip looked utterly confused and appalled at the same time.

"Don't. Let. Me. Go. Alone." The smirk was still there and he watched as Philip stuttered.

"But…but, your Highness, I can't, I won't." The tables had turned and now Edmund had Philip acting like an idiot.

"Look, I'm going with or without you, so either you come and lend support, or I go alone." He sent the Animal a look and Philip lowered his head in defeat.

"You're going to need a shield."

**Miron** watched as the battle raged on. His future king was defending himself against a Cyclops and was doing exceptionally well, especially for someone so young and inexperienced. A stone Gryphon broke and almost crashed into the boy, but he managed to get out only a bit dazed. All in all, the battle was tied until he saw _her_.

"King Peter!" Miron watched as the boy spun around and spotted the Witch, then the faun was forced to turn his attention to another fight.

**Peter **watched as the Witch forced her way through the crowd. Her chain mail dress gleamed in sunlight and formed a sort of dark halo around her. Aslan's mane hung from her neck and Peter's blood began to boil.

Here was the demon that had destroyed these peoples' lives for a hundred years. Here was the monster that had killed Aslan. And here was the beast that almost killed his little brother. _She will die._

He charged forward and swung at her with his sword. She ducked and parried as his angry blows were brought down. Thrusting out her wand, she almost managed to pierce his skin, but just narrowly missed. They fought their way up onto the cliff that Miron and the archers has been just hours before.

_Duck! Parry! Thrust! Duck! Parry! Thrust! **Roar!**_

The loud sound vibrated throughout the area and both the Witch and Peter temporarily stopped fighting. Aslan had arrived and with him were the girls and more soldiers.

"Impossible." She whispered in disbelief. He was supposed to be dead! Peter, sensing his opportunity had come, attacked the Witch and caught her off guard. However, it wasn't long before Peter faltered. The Witch tripped him and he fell and landed on his back, the Witch's sword piercing his shoulder. He let out a cry and waited for her to make the killing blow. It never came.

Peter opened his eyes and gasped at what he saw. There, fighting the Witch with a sword similar to his own, was Edmund-an awake and angry Edmund. It was a miracle that the younger boy could even stand seeing as he had a broken leg and was obviously in a lot of pain, but he was doing well with holding his own. Peter would have gotten up to help, but for some reason, he couldn't move.

He watched as his younger brother fought the Witch towards the edge of the cliff. Although Edmund had never had any sword training, Peter felt that his brother could not have done any better then what he was doing now. He fought her with such vigor and Peter couldn't have felt prouder.

Suddenly, a bright blue light erupted and Peter could just make out the Witch's stunned face. Edmund, a ten-year-old injured boy, had done what nobody else had; he had broken her wand. Her face twisted into one of anger and she began to fight him with more power than he could handle. Using what was left of her wand, she knocked the sword from his hand and trust it into his stomach.

Edmund, as stunned as the Witch had been when he destroyed her magic, gasped for air and began to fall…right off the cliff. Before he was completely gone, however, he pulled Aslan's Mane around her neck, ripped it off, and pulled her off the cliff with him.

"NOOOOO!"

**FINALLY! I'm done with this trouble chapter. Please review, but don't flame…or kill me. I know it took me forever to get this out and I'm really sorry. I hope to have the next chapter out by mid-May at the latest. Please forgive me!**

**Bye!**


	11. AUTHOR'S NOTE PLEASE READ

Hey everyone! I know you must all think I died, but I live! I am so sorry about the delays to this story and I feel horrible. At the moment I have two other stories up; one for Naruto and another for Star Wars. I was reading them over and I found that compared to this, they are much better in terms of writing and I figured that after two years of not working on it I want to try this story again. I'm going to leave this one up until chapters 1-10 and chapter 11 are written. It probably won't be until the summer, because I have SATs, ACTs, SAT IIs, etc. I have started rewriting it and I like they way it's coming out. I'm also adding a few more chapters to the beginning so it doesn't start so abruptly.

Before I go though I would really really appreciate it if you would go onto my profile page and vote on a name for Susan's (future) daughter. She won't come into play for a LONG time (and she will be realistically placed in the story), and I have names for the children of Peter, Ed, and Lucy, but Susan's daughter eludes me. It has become really annoying. If you have any suggestions then just PM me with the name. My only guideline is that it must begin with an "S."

Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck by me and I apologize for the wait. Rest assured, this story will be busy in the summer. I LOVE YOU ALL!

BYE AND THANK YOU!

~~TimeMage0955

P.S. The Names of the other children are:

Peter's Son—Perrin

Edmund's Son—Erimon (I got permission from Schmo and Sushi to use this name)

Lucy's Daughter—Lyra


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